A whole new world
October 15, 2009 – 9:51 pmCurled up in a small ball next to my bed is a dog, Wilson, who is about 20 pounds of handsome old mutt wearing an old sweater.
All it took was the relatively simple act of walking into a shelter and saying, “Hi! I’m here to see about adopting a dog!”
After thinking about adopting a dog for eons, I finally decided to stop by a local shelter to start the process. I reviewed their site and saw a couple of cute dogs that may be a good fit for me. Alas, both dogs were already in the process of being adopted, but I was informed of a new dog who would be arriving in a couple of days.
Apparently, he was a stray who wasn’t always that way. His hair was matted, he suffered from ear infections, he had dental issues, and oh yeah, at the ripe age of about eight years old, he still had his boy-bits in tact. When I first met Wilson on Wednesday evening, he was pretty sedate. His hair has been trimmed significantly, he had fewer teeth due to needed extractions, and his boy-bits had just been lopped off. Yeah, you’d probably want to curl up on a big fluffy, over-sized pillow as well.
But still, he raised his head when I pet him and even got up to wobble around the shelter’s office for a bit. He’s been on quite a journey and he remains adorable. We should all be so lucky.
After meeting Wilson, I was asked if I wanted to be a foster “parent” to see how I’d like life with Wilson. I couldn’t say “yes!” fast enough. It would be a great opportunity to make sure this is absolutely what I want — and I’m pretty sure it is — with an escape clause of sorts. However, I’m hopeful I won’t have to use that escape clause.
I definitely noticed how just the thought of having a dog affected my mood and even in my interactions with other people, co-workers and random people in the local bakery alike. I was happy about something that wasn’t really about me. I’m adopting a dog, but it’s the dog who’s the star of the show.
As the hours went by, my excitement of getting over to the shelter to get Wilson grew. I’m also extremely thankful for my friend Curt for providing Wilson, myself and all of Wilson’s food and supplies a ride home. It would have been a bit much for the bus.
Upon arriving in my home this evening, he promptly set forth on sniffing each and every inch of the place. He took time out to play with a couple of toys, but then went back to his very important work. And then, he napped. All that sniffing is hard work.
I’m currently in the foster “parent” phase of my time with Wilson, which will last about a week. If all goes well, I’ll begin the formal adoption process. I’m already looking forward to that process.
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