On February 26, 2009, I celebrated my "re-birthday" by going home to my new Mom and Dad! After spending the first 14 years of my life with an animal abuser, and after spending six long months at the Pennsylvania SPCA shelter, I would finally get a chance to be a dog!
One of the shelter staff, Victor, told my Mom that I came out of protective custody and could now be adopted or fostered. Victor knew that Mom was a sucker for the older dogs, and she had befriended me during my stay at the shelter. It took about 5 minutes (and a phone call to Dad!) for Mom to decide I should come home with her!
Who knows what would have happened to me otherwise. Since I was 14 years old and came from a cruelty case, a lot of potential adopters might have overlooked me. I think it was fate that Victor told Mom I was ready for adoption at that moment.
My Mom and one of the shelter staff gave me a warm bath, washed the "shelter grime" off me, and treated me to a pedicure (my toenails were so long!). Then the vet examined me and gave Mom my medications. I have bad arthritis and some leftover injuries from my past life, so I take Rimadyl to keep the pain at bay. My Mom signed the paperwork and next thing I know, I'm in the car on my way to a new home!
Mom said she's eternally grateful to Duran, a staff member at the PSPCA, for carrying me out to her car that night. I can't walk very far because of my arthritis and Mom hadn't yet built up her arm muscles to carry me, like she does now. So Duran lugged all 62 pounds of me to the car and sent me on my way! Thanks, Duran!
(Hey, those aren't paw prints!)
