Several months ago, Tyler Young and Kyro Howard didn’t have a single pet. Today, their home is filled with the sound of paws, purrs and unconditional love thanks to three rescues, each adopted or saved, and each uniquely perfect.
Their story begins just before New Year’s in 2024, when they met Cheese, a little orange tabby with a tilt to his head and ears that hear nothing at all. Deaf since he was a kitten, Cheese doesn’t know the meaning of limitations. Confident, curious and affectionate, he became their first family member.
“He’s always exploring,” Young said. “He’s so interested in everything around him and he brings so much joy into our lives.”
Not long after came Kodak, the three-legged American Staffordshire terrier mix they had spotted first but adopted second. Missing a front leg doesn’t slow him down, his floppy ears and sweet face stole their hearts instantly. For Young and Howard, who both grew up with big dogs and have a soft spot for pit mixes, Kodak felt like fate.
“We also know a family who rescued a three-legged dog missing the same leg as Kodak,” Young said. “It just felt meant to be.”
Then, in March, their little family grew again when Macaroni, another orange tabby, arrived. Just four weeks old and rescued from the street, he was brought into Howard’s veterinary office. Suddenly, Howard found herself bottle-feeding and nurturing a tiny life around the clock.
“It created a bond I’ve never had before,” she said.
Today, Macaroni is a cuddly lap cat, a shoulder-sitting “parrot cat” and a constant reminder of how love transforms even the smallest rescues.
The adoption process through the Wake County Animal Center made each experience even more special.
“From the moment we reached out, the fosters were incredible,” Young said. “They spent hours talking with us, sharing stories, sending photos and making sure each animal was going to a home that understood them.”
Cheese’s foster, Susan, even spent nearly two hours on the phone with Young one night answering questions. Kodak’s foster family helped manage his anxiety through multiple meet-and-greets, guiding them through each step of his transition.
“It was unlike any adoption process we’ve ever had,” Young said. “It made everything so meaningful.”
And while each pet has its own challenges, Cheese’s deafness, Kodak’s anxiety and missing leg, and Macaroni’s fragile start in life, together they’ve created a home full of resilience, love and laughter.
“Cheese has no fear,” Howard said. “He welcomed Kodak from the beginning and gave him the confidence to settle in. He’s been through a lot, but he still loves so deeply. Kodak’s previous owner was homeless, and he lost his leg in a car accident, but you’d never know it by the way he loves. Kodak is such a gentle soul. And Macaroni? He’s pure joy. He climbs on us, gives us kisses and curls up in our laps the moment we sit down.”
“Adopting them has been the most rewarding experience,” Tyler said. “We hope more people will give pets like Cheese, Kodak and Macaroni a chance because the love they give back is endless.”
