Adorable moment blind dog catches raindrops for first time after regaining sight

By Fiona Jackson via SWNS

This is the adorable moment a blind dog jumped to catch raindrops for the first time after regaining his sight.

Pi the border collie was born blind in his right eye, and brain damage meant he couldn't blink easily.

His owner, Anna Lopez, 52, was told he may not survive very long and the pooch should have his eye removed.

Instead she opted to administer eye drops on a daily basis, and after over two years was told he had regained some vision in his right eye.

Anna, who has 24 dogs, said: "That was the first time I saw him catching raindrops.

"I was so happy for Pi, he has discovered something new, he could see raindrops falling and he was enjoying catching them."

Anna adopted Pi when he was a just six-weeks-old, after hearing from his breeder that they weren't sure he would survive because of his disabilities.

She said: "Pi was a runt and seemed 'different,' he wasn’t blinking his right eye nor responding to touches on his head or right eye.

"I took that chance - I was in love."

When he was just four months old she took him to an ophthalmologist, who diagnosed him with cranial nerve damage.

He was completely deaf, blind in one eye and had no sensation in the right side of his face.

The two-year-old pup also had a slight cleft palate and a cleft lip.

"I was very sad and heartbroken for Pi," said Anna, from Pensacola, Florida.

"Being deaf and with a reduced sight it was sometimes a challenge to get his attention.

"But he acted like a normal pup, played like a normal pup."

Anna was advised that the easiest option could be to remove his eye as Pi would never blink enough to lubricate it properly.

However she instead opted to administer eyedrops, artificial tears and ointments multiple times a day in a bid to save his sight.

The dog lover said: "Right around new year I noticed him snapping in the air like he was catching a fly.

"I was afraid he was seeing spots in his good eye and might lose his sight completely.

"That is what prompted me to make an appointment with his ophthalmologist."

On January 12, 2022, after years of medication, Anna was informed that Pi's corneas had healed and can now follow movement in his right eye.

She said: "I was excited and very happy for Pi.

"The ophthalmologist did not say how he regained his sight, but thinks that administering his eye medications religiously helped."

Just a few days later, Anna stood watching Pi play outdoors when she noticed him using his newfound sight to try to catch some falling raindrops.

The stay-at-home dog mom said: "He was also trying to catch his breath on cold nights, possibly trying to catch stars too.

"I’m finding more new quirks, just two days ago he noticed his shadow and started chasing it on the ground.

"Pi is very sweet, loving and happy.

"I would like people not to give up on special needs animals. They too need a loving home."