Smiley the therapy dog's story spreads around the globe

People around the world have been getting to know the story of a therapy dog from Ontario.

His name is Smiley and he's a small-sized, golden retrieverborn without eyes.

In 2004, he was adopted by Joanne George, a dog trainerafter, she says, he started life in a puppy mill.

Since then, Smiley has become a therapy dog and more recently, his story has gone viral.

He's been the subject of reports by ABC, Buzzfeed, CBS, ITV, the Toronto Star and the Washington Post, just to name a few media outlets whose audiences have been captivated by Smiley's story.

"It's hard to really fathom and grasp the magnitude of it," George said Wednesday.

"Everybody knows Smiley, you know, and the whole world, it seems like now."

George said that shes received emails from people around the worldwho have heard about Smiley.

"This is what I've always wanted," she said. "His story is very inspiring and the farther it goes, the better."

The CBC's Shannon Martin recently watched as Smiley worked his magic at anevent for kids at the Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library. Some of the kids have special needs, all were enamoured with Smiley.

Click on the video to see Martin's report.