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 Normally, I shrink from volunteering opportunities outside of the fire district where I am a volunteer firefighter. I heard that TAILS Humane Society in DeKalb, Illinois, rescued more than 300 dogs and cats who were being hoarded. Most were malnourished and many suffered health problems. This time, I decided to make an effort and, with leash in hand, I would walk a few dogs. I made my first trip to the airplane hangar where they were being kept.
It was overwhelming because I had never seen that many dogs together in my life. Walking down the aisles of kennels and make-shift cages, I looked closely. There were so many of these poor animals that had lost that divine spark in their eyes. Most seemed to have no will to live, others would not even care to raise their heads and sniff.
Dog #91, a white Great Pyrenees, was among the saddest of the lot. After dragging him from his kennel and hauling him outside for a walk, I felt bound to this dog and wanted to do him a service of some sort. After the walk, I sat by his kennel; and petted him. He was by no means a dog yet, just a sack of fur with sad eyes.
I figured that if he were ever to be a dog again he would first need a name so I dubbed him Boo Boo. From that day forward, I spent much of my time at the hangar just petting him and his friend, another Great Pyrenees I called Choo Choo. He had gained back his bounce and wanted to play, but I don’t think he really knew how to play. Boo Boo remained timid and fearful but he would allow me to pet him.
TAILS was awarded custody of the animals by the courts and I volunteered to Foster/Adopt Boo Boo. At the same time, my wife discovered she was pregnant so we decided that adopting him would not be in our best interest despite my intense desire to give Boo Boo a good home. We would at least foster the poor dog and introduce him to the life of a family dog.
We had him for only a week but he seemed to appreciate the perks of family life. Our dog Grace showed him the best sleeping spots on the bed. She taught him how he was supposed to eat out of his dish and let her eat out of her dish. But they agreed and always switched dishes, assuming the food in the other dish was better.
As the time approached when the healthy dogs would be put up for adoption, I started to worry about the home where Boo Boo would eventually go. I wanted to make sure that his new home would be just as good, if not better, than mine. A few people approached his kennel but walked away. It felt so wrong to me that this dog would go to someone who did not fully appreciate him and understand how far he had come. I went to find my wife and dog Grace in the crowd to tell her of my worries. I spotted her talking to a couple who happened to have a Great Pyrenees by their side! My wife told me that Grace found this couple and that they were interested in adopting Boo Boo.
Grace has made some good decisions in the past and even picked my wife for me, so this spark that Grace felt assured me that they were right for dear Boo Boo. They adopted him.
The night of the big adoption, my wife told me that Boo Boo was resting comfortably in front of the fireplace with his new family. I slept better than I had since this tragedy unfolded. Boo Boo went from squalor, to chaos, to a warm bed with people in it, and finally to his new home. I’m sure he’ll become a full-fledged dog.
When I look at the photos on TAILS’ website, www.tailshumanesociety.org, now I realize the remarkable journey this dog has made with so many other dogs and cats in the same situation. I am compelled to write this story so other people will reach out and volunteer at humane societies. You can make an impact on a dog’s life, even if you’re only together a short time.
Eric
DeKalb, IL
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