In 2013, rescuers came across Murray and his three Weimaraner siblings on Dead Dog Beach in Puerto Rico, a place infamous for abandoned pets. At the tender age of 12 weeks, they showed signs of distemper, a severe virus affecting a dog’s neurological system.
Christina Beckles, the head of The Sato Project, a Puerto Rican dog rescue organization, recalled, “I was holding him on the exam table and petting him, and I felt a click in his jaw – that’s one of the indicators of distemper.” She added, “At that moment, there’s no cure. The dog might start having seizures and could sustain brain damage.”
Faced with the grim prognosis, Beckles and the attending vet decided to euthanize Murray. However, when the moment arrived, the vet hesitated. Beckles recounted, “She carried him to the table, and he wagged his tail… and she couldn’t go through with it.”
Murray’s chances of survival were slim, especially since one of his siblings had already succumbed to the virus. Cathy Meeks, a veterinarian at BluePearl Veterinary Hospital in Tampa, mentioned that 80% of puppies with distemper don’t survive. Vaccination is the best prevention, but Murray and his siblings hadn’t been vaccinated due to their stray status.
Miraculously, Murray began to recover with medical intervention. However, the distemper left its mark. His skull developed abnormally, and most of his teeth had to be removed, causing his tongue to hang out.
Mackenzie Gallant, Murray’s adoptive mother, shared, “Originally, his face was symmetrical, but now it’s a bit skewed. His skull sits flat on his head.”
But for the Gallant family, Murray’s appearance didn’t matter. They fostered him in November 2013 and officially adopted him the next month. Mackenzie expressed, “He’s my favorite dog. Every night, he sleeps in my room.”
Even when Mackenzie left for college, she maintained a close bond with Murray. She said, “It was hard leaving all my pets, but Murray is special.” She video calls him daily, and he still occupies her room. “He knows when it’s bedtime and rushes to my room,” she added.
Mackenzie cherishes the moments she spends with Murray, especially their long walks. “He loves walks. It’s the highlight of the day for all our pets,” she said.
Reflecting on Murray’s journey, Christina Beckles commented, “This dog looks different, but he’s just like any other. He loves walks and hikes and is treated no differently.” She expressed gratitude to the Gallant family, saying, “From the start, they’ve been wonderful. I couldn’t have wished for a better home for him.”
