Some days you never forget no matter how long ago it happened. December 23, 2021 is one of those days.
I sat in the car and cried that day. The lives that had been destroyed just hurt my heart over and over. I took Coconut in to day care at NEW PAWSibilities and, after running errands, I went to pick him up. The parking lot was filled with cars and I walked in and met a lovely couple who had adopted from us just about a year earlier.
They dropped off a Christmas gift basket filled with cleaning supplies and dog food and treats and and even added a box of chocolate for the staff. They were incredibly grateful that we rescued the perfect dog for them and they wanted to make sure we could keep on doing what we do. It was a lovely moment.
As I waited for the staff person to get Coconut from the play area a lady walked in. Her body language and facial expression were dead giveaways that this would not be a joyful celebration.
She adopted her dog about the same time in 2020 but she was here to surrender her beloved companion. Tears streamed and she could barely tell her story. She loved her dog and saying goodbye was brutal to watch.
I stood in the lobby praying for a Christmas miracle, a hail Mary pass, anything to make her year not so horrible.
She got COVID which turned into long COVID. She recovered, but the months of being sick led to no income, followed by an eviction. Her biggest concern was not for herself, but for her dog. She asked friends and anyone she could think of to take him until she got a place. No one had room for an eighty-pound shepherd/mix so, for a time, they were homeless.
She finally found a couch surfing situation with a cousin. The relief of not being homeless was short-lived because she could not bring her dog. Period. No wiggle room because her cousin was not willing to risk her housing since it was a no-pet lease.
If you remember rental prices jumped in 2021 and, with an eviction on her record and no job, finding an affordable pet-friendly rental seemed an impossibility.
She brought in her beautiful dog and his food container. With tears streaming down her face she assured us that he was potty trained. He was the best dog in the world. He knew how to sit and he played well with other dogs. He didn’t chew. The list of all this dog’s attributes was a tribute to the love and patience she showered on him. She explained that he was a bit of a runner and I told her my dog was too. I gave her a big hug and felt her shake. It had been a long time since I’d seen someone in such pain with no hope in her life.
She was worried about what her dog would do, how abandoned he’d feel. This would be the second time humans had let him down. She didn’t let him down, but he wouldn’t know that. All he’d know is that his person wasn’t coming back for him.
I sat in my car and cried in the late afternoon of December 23, 2021. I cried for her and her dog and for too many people who had normal, happy lives just a few months before.
We kept her dog and the staff lavished him with love for as long as possible. A few days turned into a few weeks and, after making sure he was healthy and ready to go, I wrote a bio for him filled with everything I could about his situation and the why behind the reason this beautiful and well-trained pooch was available for adoption. It didn’t take long for someone to come in and adopt the well trained, beautiful German shepherd/mix.
When someone has to surrender their dog it’s important to know their story. Not every situation is because they are selfish or the puppy grew too quickly or because the human failed to do even a modicum of training.
If 2020 and subsequent years have taught us anything it’s that bad things happen to good people and their dogs.
We have a little over a week until the calendar flips to 2025. If you are able to give gift to Second Chance North or a shelter in your area this would be a great time to help them. Rescues open their doors to take care of dogs no matter why they are abandoned or surrendered.
Her name was Jennifer. I hope she landed on her feet. There’s probably not one day she doesn’t shed a few tears and think about the year when she had the perfect dog.
