“Not A Dog”
She stood nervously as the vet examined the animal she had brought in. She had only found him in her yard 20 minutes ago. Now she was the one taking him to the vet. But nothing could prepare her for the vet’s verdict.
After examining the animal, he merely shook his head. Jessica asked what was wrong, and he raised an eyebrow. “Do you know what we have here?” He asked her in disbelief. “This is no dog.”
Saturday Morning
She was sipping her morning coffee when she noticed something peculiar. She had decided to sit on her porch and take in the morning sun, but she had no idea what she was about to meet in her yard.
She just wanted to enjoy a bit of the Saturday morning summer, but things were going to take a turn that she could never have expected. And it started when he wandered into her yard.
Jessica Adams
Jessica Adams was a hard-working woman that had just moved across the country. With her four-year-long relationship with her boyfriend ending, she had no reason to stay in New York.
After careful consideration, she decided to up and leave for a fresh start. She moved all the way to Oregon. But she had no idea that her life was going to drastically change one fateful morning.
Moving To A Nice Neighborhood
The change of scenery was just what Jessica needed. She was taken aback by the quiet neighborhood she had moved to. She was used to the cramped apartments and narrow streets of New York.
She felt like she had done the right thing. She was able to afford a small house with a picket fence and even a nice porch. But that’s where things would change.
Feeling Lonely
Despite enjoying the new neighborhood, Jessica felt something was missing from her life. She hated to admit it, but she was lonely. She didn’t think she needed anyone else, but after weeks of working at her new job and not making any new friends, she felt it.
She even considered getting a pet. But she didn’t want to buy one from a breeder. She wanted to adopt one from a shelter. She liked the idea of giving a pup a second chance. But she had no idea what was coming her way.
Busy Week Behind Her
Jessica had worked hard for the last week. She put down 9-hour shifts from Monday to Friday just to meet her deadlines. She thought that she would be able to relax on her weekend off.
It’s why she was sipping coffee on her porch on a Saturday morning. It was to destress and relax. But what she would soon be involved in wouldn’t be her idea of relaxation.
A Whimper
There Jessica sat, enjoying her morning beverage. It wasn’t even 11 AM yet, so she had the whole day ahead of her. But that’s when she heard whimpering. It sounded like an animal in distress.
The sound was coming from her fence. She decided to open the latch on the gate, but as soon as she did, something big and shaggy stormed into her yard and collapsed. She had no idea what had just pushed its way into her life.
A Dog?
Jessica’s heart was beating in her chest, but she calmed down when she noticed what had collapsed in her yard. It was a black dog. It must have been the animal that was whimpering just moments earlier.
She took one look at the animal and knew that she had to spring into action. But at the same time, she had to be careful. She had no idea if the dog would be aggressive or not.
Examining The Animal
Jessica slowly circled around to where the dog was facing. It was clear that he hadn’t been looked after. Whoever his owners were, they had mistreated him. He was a far cry from the shiny coat and wet nose that come to mind when we think of a healthy dog.
She could see the sadness in his eyes, like he had forced his way into her yard on purpose. He needed help, and she was the person he had chosen. But she had no idea just what he was going to become.
A Helping Hand
Jessica knew that time was ticking. She had to get a leash on him so she could safely get him to a vet to get checked out. She found herself knocking on her neighbor’s door to ask for one. She knew they had a dog, so they might lend her one.
She was in luck, and just a few minutes later, she was carefully clipping the leash onto the dog’s collar. He sprang to life, and she managed to walk with her. This was a great sign. Now she just had to get him to the vet, but she had no idea what she had invited into her life.
The Vet
She stood nervously as the vet examined the animal she had brought in. She had only found him in her yard 20 minutes ago. Now she was the one taking him to the vet. But nothing could prepare her for the vet’s verdict.
After examining the animal, he merely shook his head. Jessica asked what was wrong, and he raised an eyebrow. “Do you know what we have here?” He asked her in disbelief. “This is no dog.”
A Puppy!
The vet further explained, “This poor dog isn’t just a dog! It may be hard to see from the way he looks, but he’s actually a puppy. I can’t believe some people neglected him like this.” Jessica couldn’t believe what she was hearing, he looked like an adult, but the neglect made it hard to see.
She was so upset over the news that she acted on her instincts and did something she rarely did, act out of emotion rather than logic. She would even surprise the vet and her entire neighborhood.
Taking Custody
“I’m taking custody of him while we figure this out,” Jessica stammered. “While we investigate his owners and their abuse, I’ll foster him.” The vet’s eyes grew wide. He had never seen someone take so much initiative for a dog before.
He gave the dog a course of antibiotics and sent them on their way. Jessica would take care of him until they figured out who his owners were. But things wouldn’t be so easy.
Nowhere To Be Found
After a month-long investigation, the local animal control couldn’t find his owners. Either they didn’t care enough to reach out, or they knew they would be arrested for animal cruelty. Either way, this meant that Jessica was put in a complicated position.
They knocked on her door and notified her of her options. They could take him off of her hands and put him in a shelter, but his chances of being adopted were slim, especially in his condition. But Jessica had a better idea.
Adopted
Jessica had bonded with the pup over the month that they were together. She told animal control that she’d be adopted him before he even made it to a shelter. They looked surprised but grateful.
And two months after filling out the paperwork, her new puppy had started looking much better. He was nearly normal, which goes to show that all he needed was a little bit of love and care.