Amanda Richter wasn’t looking to adopt a dog, but fate had other plans. One day, she stumbled upon a photo of Brodie, a rescue dog with a crooked snout, and everything changed.

“I just fell in love with him right away,” Richter said. The 35-year-old photographer, living on Vancouver Island, couldn’t resist the pull. “It was definitely not planned,” she said. “And more of an ‘I needed him, I wanted him, and I went and got him.’”

Richter discovered Brodie through a Facebook post by a shelter in Alberta. The story behind Brodie’s unique appearance was heartbreaking. When he was just two weeks old, his mother, a 10-month-old stray, bit him on the head. The incident left Brodie with a deformed snout, partial blindness in one eye, and a slightly shut jaw.

Brodie poses for a picture. Photo courtesy of Amanda Richter

Despite these challenges, Richter was smitten. “I was just so head over heels in love with him that I was ready to take on anything that came with him being like that,” she said. “Dogs that aren’t perfect also need homes. There are a lot of dogs that have wonderful personalities and are amazing, and they get looked past because they’re not perfect. That just breaks my heart.”

Brodie’s story resonated with many people who saw him online. After adopting him, Richter received numerous requests for updates. “It didn’t take long to take off. He got very popular very quickly,” she said. The overwhelming support led her to create an Instagram account for Brodie, which now has over 1.6 million followers. “He really embodies Picasso’s work perfectly … everything is moved around a little bit, a little bit crooked,” said Richter, describing her beloved dog as a living piece of art.

Richter cherishes the love and attention Brodie receives from his fans. “Not to be dramatic. But I would die for Brodie,” one follower wrote. “I think people feel the same way that I felt when I first saw his pictures,” Richter said. “They see how loved he is even though he’s so different, and it makes them feel good.”

Raven, left, and Brodie are the best of friends. Photo courtesy of Amanda Richter

Not long after, another extraordinary moment came when a follower alerted Richter to Raven, a dog in Texas with a twisted snout similar to Brodie’s. “I just instantly again was like, ‘I have to get this dog,’” she said. “I fell in love with her.” The resemblance between Brodie and Raven felt like destiny. “What are the odds that there are two of them that are almost identical?” she continued.

I was like ‘there’s no way this isn’t meant to be.’”

Richter arranged for Raven to be transported to Vancouver, where she joined the family. Despite her traumatic past, Raven quickly became Brodie’s best friend. “She still cowers and reacts to things that she shouldn’t,” Richter said, hinting at the abuse Raven likely endured. Yet, their bond grew strong. “They’re the best of friends,” she said. “They complete each other.”

Richter hopes that Brodie and Raven’s story inspires more empathy toward animals with differences. “I hope that Brodie and Raven brighten their day, but I also hope that they have a little more compassion and empathy and kindness towards animals and people with differences,” she said. “It’s okay to be different. It’s okay to be imperfectly perfect.”

Sources: Washington Post | People