Lee Ellen Copstead Kirkhorn Our chocolate lab Chip died in his sleep. He was much loved. He lived to be fourteen human years old. When you love an animal, it is as if they become part of your human family. The loss left a big vacancy in my life. (My daughter lives in the Minneapolis area with our cat, Garfield—naturally, a big orange tabby.)
I decided to look at the animal shelter for a rescue pet. The shelter is a kill shelter, and Fin was at the end of the line. Instantly, I knew he needed a loving home. When I brought him home, he was skin and bones. Now, his coat is glossy and he looks healthy. I am overjoyed to have that space in my heart filled with such a beautiful animal.
I have re-named him Tyler because of the white tie on his coat. His coat no longer sticks up on end, so Fin doesn’t suit. I am a widow, and having such a handsome puppy in my world is better than I could have predicted. Tyler is a year and six months now—a teenager in dog years. I hope he lives a long and happy life!
Kathy Smith I had just adopted Indy when I caught a nasty cold that kept me up at night coughing and sneezing. Rebel, always on guard, had his place bedside so he could keep an eye on me. The new kid, Indy, hadn’t figured out his new world yet. He found my condo’s tiny bathroom to be a great den, plus the tiled floors were cool and comfy.
One particular night, I couldn’t stop coughing. I finally acquiesced and turned on my side in hopes I’d stop coughing and could fall asleep. Suddenly, my bed began to shake. The timid new kid had jumped on the bed and curled his fuzzy body around mine. He was spooning me! In time, my coughing fits subsided. Once I was quiet and able to rest, Indy gently left the bed and returned to his safe space in the bathroom.
From that moment on, I realized he had the gift as a nurse. In Rebel’s later years, Indy remained by his side on the rough days. He definitely has the gift of bringing comfort to those who are ailing.
Thomas R. McGarry In January 2011, my beloved Golden Retriever Scoobi passed away unexpectedly. Mary and I were devastated, but I was especially down in the dumps. That dog was my buddy. We went to work together, to the store (when possible), and she was “my” dog.
In February 2011, Mary and her father, Al, drove almost to Canada to a Golden Retriever breeder. Mary would not take my calls in the car because, as she explained it later, when the puppy wasn’t throwing up, she was howling! I would have heard her, which would have ruined the surprise: Mary brought home a Golden Retriever puppy in a red collar for Valentine’s Day.
I really didn’t want another puppy because I thought I thought it was an insult to Scoobi’s memory. The first thing I had to do was give her a bath in the sink since she had been car-sick. It was love at first sight. She was in her new home (and not in that awful car).
I named her Madeline Marie Wissink-McGarry. She is commonly known as Maddie. At nine, she still chews Mary’s shoes (she got a heel tonight). She is a counter-surfer extraordinaire, and a complete clown. She is the opposite of Scoobi when it comes to manners, but she is a total love. She outgrew the original red collar, but she still wears one because she is my Valentine—courtesy of my other Valentine, Mary.
Mary Wissink I gave Maddie to Tom with a red collar for Valentine’s Day. He had lost the best dog, Scoobi Doo, another Golden. I knew he was sad and I wanted him to be happy and I thought a puppy would give him life again after Scoobi Doo.
Sheila Gomez Our dog Mavrick, who passed last March, saved my husband in the woods. They were walking together, checking out deer. Mavrick was ten years old.
Ed got lost. That was weird, as he has been hunting in this area forever.
After three tries to find the car, Ed told Mavrick to find the car and Mavrick took Ed right to it!
We later found out Ed has diabetes and he was having a very low drop in his glucose. If not for our Marvelous Mavrick, Ed might not have found the way out—and he might have died instead.
Photo by Jamie Wilkie — Jellyfish
Jamie Wilke I was 55 years old, had been in the dog grooming business for over 40 years, owned my own business, had raised and showed French Bulldogs for many years, was a grandmother of four.
I have had many dogs in my lifetime and a life-long love affair with dogs from a very early age. I suddenly had many personal life changes going on, as well as losing two of my beloved French Bulldogs unexpectedly within six weeks of each other.
During that time, I kept seeing an advertisement from KREM 2 TV about their Bark in the Park benefit for shelter dogs and rescues. I really felt I needed to be there to help in any way that I could. I did not go planning on getting a dog. Dogs with “baggage” may not fit into my pack and may have irreparable issues. For most of my life I had felt [adopting a shelter dog] was just too big a risk to take.
My friend Rachel and I went down to the benefit to help walk dogs, support, whatever was needed. Many [of the] dogs had been flown in on Wings of Rescue from other states. The first twenty people in line got tickets for the first twenty adoptions to be free of charge. I went down the line meeting and greeting, met all the dogs, and I knew the one named Jellyfish would be one of the first to go. She was just precious.
I enjoyed watching the new people and their new owners connect. Each adoptable dog had a human volunteer or staffer with them during the event. I had talked to Jellyfish’s human prior to the adoptions. I said then, “I bet she will go so quickly, she is such a cute friendly little dog.”
After all was done, I went back to see Jelly’s human.
Jellyfish was standing next to her!
I said, “She didn’t get a home?”
She said no.
Jellyfish had been found walking the streets of Maricopa County in Arizona and had sat in their shelter for a while, then she was brought up here to Spokane, and still she had no home!
I knelt down, and Jellyfish leaped into my arms, nuzzling into my neck.
How could I say no?
I took her home.
Jellyfish fit right in with my French Bulldogs! She goes to work with me every day, is more in tune to me than I could ever imagine [a dog’s being] after just four months. She has traveled long distances on planes with me, and been a little “support” dog like I would have never imagined.
I feel it was fate, totally meant to be.
I continue to wonder who really saved whom?
Where did she come from and why was she on the streets?
My love for this dog cannot be put into words. I feel so blessed to have found her.
My little Valentine, my Jellyfish.
(She came with the name and I thought I would change it, but could not. She is Jellyfish.)
Thanks to everyone who contributed their “pet tails,” and Happy Valentine’s Day to all!
