A stray dog born with a facial deformity has found a forever home after starting his life at a construction site in Doha, Qatar. Alan is a boxer-saluki mix and has a condition called “wry mouth” which caused his upper jaw to slide to one side.
The condition is due to an overly narrow mandible bone or a dog retaining their baby teeth and/or teeth growing inward.
Alan, who is three years old, now lives in Britain thanks to his rescuer Johanna Handley. Handley was living in Doha at the time Alan and his littermates were living at the building site.
A kind security guard had been feeding them but when he was no longer able to continue, Handley found out and rescued them all. Mom to five other rescue dogs, Handley decided to adopt Alan, knowing he would have trouble finding a forever home with his birth defect.
Her sister adopted one of Alan’s siblings and the other pups were rescued by National Greyhound Adoption Program (NGAP).
Johanna told the Mirror UK: “He’s a completely lovely dog, really sweet, very calm and chill. He loves to run on the beach and he’s a total thief. He’d steal food out of your mouth.”
Alan is such a sweet dog that he’s inspired his mom to write a book with him as the hero. She’s currently looking for a publisher.
She said, “I want the story to show that you don’t have to be perfect to be loved.”