MONROE — When Amanda Mason met Blanco, she knew there was something different about the white 2-year-old pit bull.
Mason, the president of Save Monroe Strays, was visiting two dogs at the Humane Society of Monroe County when animal control brought Blanco in as a stray.
“They mentioned he wasn’t the greatest listener,” Amanda Mason said. “He was hyper and had high energy. I asked, ‘Is he deaf?’”
Being familiar with deaf dogs, Mason made noises and clapped her hands behind Blanco, where he could not see her. He appeared to be deaf.
Mason said she continued to do more testing to see what he could pay attention to. She has experience for caring for deaf canines. They tug at her heartstrings.
“I started doing some hand signals and he knew a couple of them so he did come from a home at some point,” she said. “I asked if I could take some pictures of him and post them on our page. I have a soft spot for deaf dogs. I think they have a sweet spirit. They have a really sweet way about them. I fell in love with him that day.”