New Leash on Life

I have a sign on my office wall at work that states a truth which is part of my daily life:

“Saving one dog will not change the world, but for that one dog the world will be forever changed”

anonymous

A little over a month ago our family was blessed with the opportunity to do just that: change a dog’s life forever.

Not that my day-to-day work does not provide ample opportunity to change the lives of many dogs (and other critters). Each and every day I am blessed with the opportunity to help people and their animals in numerous ways. From a new puppy or kitten visit to end-of-life care, my days are filled with life changing opportunities.

This time around the situation was a little different: Changing a pet’s life meant giving them a new home.

Meet McKenna, our newest furry family member. She came in to be euthanized for complex reasons but my heart and conscience could not oblige and her owner joyfully surrendered her to our family.

Believe me, this was not the first opportunity that has arisen to bring my “work” home. Nor will it be my last opportunity. Pretty much every feline family member we’ve had over the past 16 years started out as a foundling from my office. They’ve come to me in a variety of ways: as tiny orphan kittens that needed to be bottle fed. As litters of kittens abandoned in a box on the back step. And, most famously of all, as a kitten who was surrendered with a fish hook embedded in his lip who took on the name Captain Hook. But there’s a theme with kittens: they will find a home no matter what. They are fuzzy and cute and easy to fall in love with. Older pets…well, that is not always the case.

Walk the aisles of any animal shelter and one can find numerous older pets vying for the opportunity to find a new home. But often they are passed up for puppies and kittens. According to Fuzzyrescue.org the average time spent in a shelter is 23 days for puppies and 42 days for older dogs. Another factor in adoption is breed size, with small dogs being adopted faster than large breed dogs. So here I was faced with a dog that had three “strikes”: old (age 8 years), large breed, and several pre-existing medical conditions. As McKenna stood before me wagging her happy golden tail I knew I could not allow her to be a statistic. There was still so much life in her.

With the approval of my husband (I’ve learned the hard way its better to ask permission before bringing home a new animal than forgiveness) McKenna avoided euthanasia and came to join our family. And join she did…not a beat was missed as she settled herself right into our household.

She’s our son’s new doggie BFF and a part of our family we didn’t even know we were missing. Her nickname says it all: Goofarita. She is literally the happiest, goofiest dog I have ever met (well, maybe not quite as happy as a certain extra large Goldendoodle my staff has lovingly named Clifford the Big Yellow Dog).

Not only is McKenna our son’s new buddy but she’s also my newest running buddy as well. And oh can she run! The first few miles were tough as she was about twenty pounds overweight and totally out of shape. But six weeks of being at the Poe household on a strict diet as well as getting spayed (and removing a cystic uterus and cystic ovaries that had her on hormonal overload) has brought her to the point that she recently did a six mile run without issue.

I could go on and on about the blessings McKenna has provided our family. It is ironic how we thought we were “saving” her but the gifts she has provided us are as numerous as what we have given her. This beautiful dog, both inside and out, who may have been totally passed up at a shelter. Her medical issues (epilepsy) would have made her chance of being adopted slim at best. I feel blessed that the Lord brought her into my office so that we were given the chance to bring her into our family.

I’ll leave you with this point to ponder: Next time your looking for a furry friend don’t forget about the other McKenna’s out there waiting for a new “leash” on life. If you’re ever given the opportunity to adopt a senior dog do so…they may be “old” but still have so much to give in love and joy.

But ask the animals, and they will teach you;

or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;

or speak to the earth, and it will teach you…

Job : 7-8