Pet Adoption Story – Reuben, Fisher & Krystine

 

Today we’re bringing you a touching pet adoption story from Reuben, Fisher & Krystine. In a time when everyone wants to take home a wiggling puppy, Krystine opened her heart to not one, but two older dogs- proving that regardless of how old animals are, they all need love and affection. Here’s Krystine’s lovely story:

My husband and I had decided to make an addition to our family. As we have no plans for children, a pet was the logical choice.  Over the years, I’ve had many pets: dogs, cats, ferrets, lizards, amphibians, and fish. What to choose? We discussed it and decided that unwavering loyalty and slobbery kisses were high on our list of wants. We were getting a dog!

We walked into the shelter with tiny puppies prancing around in our heads. We asked to see some dogs and then two little heads peering through the gate caught my eye. They bounded out and immediately perched on my feet, I wasn’t going anywhere. I bent and scratched their velvet ears. To my surprise, I was immediately given a timid lick on the hand for my efforts. These two were seniors, and we were wary of adopting an older dog.

We didn’t want to make any rash decisions so we asked to meet the rest of the herd. One of the two beasties sitting upon my feet got up and wandered to the nearest bed, turned three times and lay down. He laid there watching me meet and pet the rest with wary eyes. The other stayed where he was.

Eventually, we had to leave. Both of my new friends had to come say goodbye before I left. The whole drive home all I could think about were the two furry creatures that had perched upon my feet.

A few days later, we drove back to the shelter and got to see the dogs I was already calling my boys. Just as before they came out and immediately sat on my feet, looking up at me. I asked more questions about their history. They had been together for years. They were used for hunting and had lived outside all their lives, and these two were no pups. The man who had owned them was getting older and was no longer able to care for them. Knowing that, he surrendered them. I often think of that man, and thank him from the bottom of my heart for setting the events in motion that brought these boys to my heart and my home.

We left the shelter and headed home, my mind was already made up. I came inside and didn’t even take off my coat. I went straight for the laptop and filled out the adoption application. Then there was the waiting process. It was really only a matter of a few days, but to me it felt like an eternity.

The call finally came, they were sending someone to do a home assessment. That weekend, my boys stepped into a house for the first time in their lives. They ran around the house, sniffing as scent hounds are apt to do, but then they came to me and sat down, you guessed it, on my feet. Oh how I wished in that moment that they wouldn’t have to leave again. Then came the agony of waiting for final approval.

On St Patrick’s Day, we drove to the shelter with two brand new leashes in hand. When I walked back through the door, I knew that I would never walk alone. Reuben and Fisher had walked into my heart and left it covered with paw prints.

I made the best decision of my life when I let myself be rescued by these two beagles. My life would be empty without coming home to wagging tails and slobbery kisses. My best friend has 4 legs and a tail. He is never far from my side. They adopted us as much as we adopted them. When they sat on my feet at the shelter, they were really wriggling their furry little bums into my heart.  No matter what they used to do, or where they used to live, they are here now making my life complete.

We hope this story touched you as much as it touched us. Let us know how it made you feel in the comments below, and share this post with your friends so they can see the benefits of adopting a pet as well. If you want to read more about benefits of Pet Adoption please check this post. 

If you’ve adopted a pet and would like to share your story with the Holly and Hugo community, send us your story today. Stories should be between 500-700 words with five pictures (including one of yourself) sent to [email protected]