I thought it was time the @SPL heard the whole story of how we came to adopt our mascot, Puck Fuzzikatz. Animals are important to me; my community is made up of people who have animals in their homes or love and respect the pets in others' homes.
Why Rescue?
I'm not here to judge you if you have purchased your dog from a breeder or a pet store. There are plenty of reasons to make those choices and I've made similar ones myself. However, I have always felt that rescuing a dog or cat from a shelter is an important option to consider. When my husband and I decided that we were ready to welcome a dog into our home after years of no pets, we looked for a puppy everywhere, including local shelters, private rescues and Craigslist.
The Humane Society of the United States offers a nice list of the top reasons to adopt a pet, and they include such gems as "Because you'll save a life" and "Because you'll change a homeless animal's whole world". Both are true and both are the points I find most valuable when considering adopting versus purchasing.
Puck's Story
When we decided to bring a fur baby into our admittedly chaotic household, we decided to find a puppy. We looked extensively and couldn't find the perfect pup. It was getting close to Christmas and I decided enough was enough, I was physically going to the shelters in our area and see who there was to see. I went to three shelters and one private rescue and didn't find anyone who seemed right for our home. I was despondent; not only was I looking forward to having a fur baby of my own again, but there were so many animals in need of a home, in need of comfort and love. It was heartbreaking.
One Last Time
When I arrived at the Pasadena Humane Society, I first went to the front desk to ask about costs, the adoption process, everything. As I was waiting, I noticed two women talking quietly to the side, with a smallish dog on the desk between them. My assumption was that this adorable little dog had just been adopted as one of the women was crying.
I listened to the information and left to look for a puppy among the dogs up for adoption. I found a 10 month old puppy who reminded me of Harry the Dirty Dog and I walked across the parking lot to the office to inquire about him. He had a full wait list, and I wasn't even going to be able to put my name on it, it was so long. As I walked back towards the shelter, I called my husband. I told him I was totally depressed but that I would go back in one last time to look around. I walked in and down an aisle I had already been down, and saw the adorable dog from the office earlier, with a shelter employee in a kennel. The employee was openly weeping.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
I came to learn that this dog, a four year old girl Papillion mix named Dolly, had been turned in by her owners back in November. They spayed her, as is their proceedure, and found that she was pregnant. To everyone's dismay, the puppies didn't make it. When she woke up in the shelter alone, in pain and confused, she was not a happy dog. In fact, it took two weeks of gentle care by the staff and behavior therapy before she acted comfortable and happier.
She was adopted quickly after that, by a family looking to add a puppy to their pack. This was the woman I saw in the office when I first got to the shelter. She was crying as she returned Dolly, fresh from the groomers, to the Shelter. Her daughter, you see, had developed a severe allergy to Dolly and the family had decided to get her groomed and bring her back in hopes she would quickly find another home.
"I Think She Needs To Come Home With Me"
That's what I said to this woman. I had walked up to the kennel and listened to her story while looking at the sweetest crop of pupper freckles I had ever seen. The shelter employee, Connie, went to start some paper work and I called my husband.
'I found a dog!' I gushed, telling him her whole story. 'Slow down', he said. He was afraid, you see, that I was making an emotional decision based on the fact that I was heart broken having seen all of the other dogs who were not getting new homes for Christmas. As we talked, I watched from across the aisle as the little dog interacted with people walking by. At first she was excited to meet people, tail wagging softly and a smile on her face. After the second and third people walked by, however, she stopped looking up at them. Her tail became still and curled inwards. I watched as she shrank into herself, whatever understanding a dog can have in this situation finally coming clear to her. She had been left. Again.
'She needs us' I told him. I couldn't have left her there if he had adamantly told me to. 'You'll see', I said to him.
He sees.
pictures are taken by me, my family, or from pixabay, a free photo site