Dave Barry showed tremendous insight when he said
“You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, ‘Wow, you’re right! I never would’ve thought of that!’”
AND … whoever said “Happiness begins with a wet nose and ends with a tail” was equally intuitive! Of course, anyone who has ever invited a dog or cat into their home will surely agree.
So, we invite you now to sit back and relax a couple of minutes as you meet a few of our wonderful four-legged critters.
Episode 1, 1979 — Nearly 40 years ago, our family had the pleasure of meeting Bronson, an amazing fellow who graced our lives for 10 years … but … I’m getting ahead of his story, so let’s go back to the beginning.
Disappointment!
As we pulled into the animal shelter parking lot and saw the gate was closed, we knew it would be at least a couple more weeks before we had another opportunity to get out there again. Nonetheless, the gate was closed and there was nothing we could do but wait.
But, just as we turned the car around and headed back toward the street, a fleeting glimpse of something big and white caught our attention, and our daughter cried “Look, Mom! He’s trying to get through the gate. He’s hungry!”
Indeed, he was!
And, when that great big white dog with a cowlick all the way down his back and a goofy look that reminded us of Yogi Bear just stood there watching us, it was love at first sight … for all of us!
And, just like that, we found our “forever dog.”
Though Bronson weighed 87 pounds when we found him, he was skin and bones, and his feet were in horrible condition. It was obvious he had been living on the streets for quite a while. Of course, we knew he had to come live with us, right then and there, and he seemed to agree.
But, it soon became obvious that even though he was happy to have a new family, he was still somewhat nervous and seemed to have some fear in the back of his mind that “this can’t last.”
But, last it did! And, we were blessed to have him live with us for the next 10 years. By the way, once he regained his health, he weighed 120 pounds, and not an ounce of fat – just muscle!
Until you have experienced the love of a homeless dog or cat, you have never fully experienced life!
Be sure to watch for more of Bronson’s story in days to come. We’re sure you will fall in love with him too!