Corgi immediately runs up to man at airport – then owner discovers why she was drawn to him
Researchers believe that dogs can sense and process human emotions. And particularly empathetic dogs will often try to cheer up their people.
But it takes a special dog to sense sadness in and try to perk up a stranger.
Madison Palm’s corgi Cora is one of those dogs – and that’s why Palm decided to get her training as a therapy dog.
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“She is very empathetic and in tune with my needs, yet she is so incredibly independent,” Palm told TODAY.
Cora proved that back in 2018 when photos of her comforting a man at the airport went viral.
Palm and her pup were traveling from their home in Idaho to Alaska to visit Palm’s mother. On a layover in Seattle, Cora ran up to a man sitting by himself. And while her mom called out to her, Cora seems to know where she needed to be.
“Before I could even call her she was already at his feet being loved on. I asked him if she was bothering him,” Palm said. “And with a somber face and watery eyes he said, ‘No, no. I lost my dog last night.'”
Cora glued herself to the mourning man as he gave her some ear scratches and whispered to her about her cuteness.
Palm said it was an emotional encounter for everyone.
How did Cora get to be such an empathetic dog? Well, it might have something to do with her own tough life.
Palm had only had Cora for about a year when she performed her airport intervention. Before that, she was an unwanted pet that got labeled a troublemaker, available to the first person who wanted to come and get her.
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One of Palm’s coworkers told her she saw a post about the corgi on Facebook. She had been killing the family chickens and was now being given away.
Palm was immediately drawn to the pup and rushed off to meet her, taking her home on the spot after learning that she had been underfed and kept outside her entire life.
Not having been spayed she’s also had many litters of puppies. She deserved a better life.
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“Cora had never been to a vet,” Palm said. “She didn’t have a cute collar or a shiny tag with her name on it. The little food that she received was her owners’ scraps, which were thrown into the yard for her.”
Cora had infected ears and rotting teeth, but she was the most loving dog Palm had ever met. And since her landlord would only allow one dog and Palm already had a pet, she found a new place to live.
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“She just wants to be loved on and held all day long,” said Palm.
We can only imagine how lucky the pup feels after going from neglect to unconditional love. And perhaps that’s why Cora was so eager to comfort someone whose suffering she could sense.
“I truly think she has a gift. She knows who is hurting and she knows who needs her,” she said. “Once he told me that his dog passed away I looked at Cora and I thought to myself, ‘You are so amazing. How did I get so lucky?'”
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After 7-and-a-half years of neglect, Cora finally got to be the loving pet she was meant to be.
“I am blown away by her on a daily basis. Who knew a dog who was unloved for 7 1/2 years could have so much love to give?” said her mom.
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Little Cora is 11 years old now, but still as sweet as ever. You can even follow her adventures on her Instagram page at @the.corgi.cora!
But first, be sure to scroll down below to see the sweet footage of Cora’s encounter with the man at the airport.
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Source: TODAY, Instagram – @the.corgi.cora, Facebook – Madison Palm, BuzzFeed, Reuters