MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (NBC) — Of the nearly 1,000 dogs that come in to the Potter League for Animals in Middletown for adoption, these two are a special case.
Ellie Mae, the bigger hound dog, is the unofficial "seeing eye" dog for Daisy.
Everything was fine with Daisy until about a year ago when she woke up and couldn't see.
"It's something that comes on," said Kerry McKinnon of the Potter League for Animals. "Suddenly. There's not an explanation as to why it happens. There's no sign that it's coming and no other medical issues except that they go blind."
Having been companions in the same house all their lives, Ellie Mae took up the slack.
"It's a bond that we see on occasion, but a lot of times companion dogs have to be trained, and the training is quite intensive to do what she's naturally doing for Daisy," McKinnon said.
The staff in Middletown noticed the bond between the two dogs right away, while watching them walk together.
"I'm seeing Ellie Mae go ahead and when she realizes Daisy's not behind her, will stop. And Daisy will walk up until she bumps into her back leg or the side of her and they'll start walking again," said Pam Collum of the Potter League for Animals.
"They're great with people. They like to be around people. I don't really see that this is going to be a problem. People are going to fall in love with them."
As a demonstration, Collum put the dogs' beds on opposite sides of a room. She went back a few hours later and noticed that the beds had been moved toward the center of the room and that the dogs were resting together.
Ellie Mae and Daisy have been at the shelter since Dec. 27. They are a two-for-one adoption.
"What we would charge for one adoption, we're adopting them out together 'cause they do need to stay together," said McKinnon.
Both dogs are middle-aged, have been housebroken and spayed.
McKinnon said they would be great with a family with kids, and that has a fenced-in yard.
For more information about the dogs, call 401-846-8276.
The shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, and is closed on Monday.