I decided to go check out the new puppies that had just come in on Saturday afternoon, but I wasn’t the only one with that idea. When I arrived at NEAS, there was a line of eager soon to be pet owners around the corner of the building.
When we were finally allowed inside, there was a rush to see all the new puppies. I walked from kennel to kennel looking at all the adorable puppies just waiting to be adopted. Left and right, people snatched up the cards off the gates to adopt their new best friend. But as cute as all these pups were…none of them were mine.
I then started to leave and entered the large dog room. I past older dogs, and puppies 5+ months old until I saw Sadie (now Sydney). I knew from the minute I saw her snoozing in her kennel that she was my pup. It was love at first site. I sat down at the kennel and waited for her to come over to greet me.
She eventually got up, walked over to the door to her kennel and stretched her long legs out to me, so I could pet her paw. As I sat there, tears welled up in my eyes because I knew I had found my dog.
A kind volunteer came over and asked if I was ok and I told her, “I think I found my dog”. She looked at me and informed me that unfortunately since she had a pink card on her gate, she couldn’t be adopted yet. My heart began to break and I asked her if she knew when I could adopt her. She informed me that she had to be fixed before anyone could adopt her.
I then asked if I could reserve her, pay the fee, fill out the application, anything but I was told that was not the policy at the shelter. I would have to wait for her to be spay and then come back after and hope I was the first one there to adopt her.
I told the volunteer I’d be back because I knew I had to have this dog. She was my dog and I’d be crushed if someone else adopted her.
I called to check in on her the next day and then again another day and I found out she was due to be spayed the next day. I then called on that Monday to make sure she was ok post surgery and they told me she was fine and would be available for adoption the next day.
Right then and there, I emailed my boss to let him know I’d be late to work and the very next day I got to the shelter 15 min before it opened and there were already 3 other people in line. I had to be the first one to her kennel. As soon as they opened the doors, I walked quickly to her kennel and saw that the pink card was now blue, which meant she was eligible for adoption!
7 years later, the rest is history and I’m so grateful I was able to find my girl that day!
