How Adoption Helped Heal After Loss
Susan, a PetSmart store process leader based in Pennsylvania, shared her story with us about grief, healing and the life-changing bond she found through pet adoption. With support from her PetSmart family and local adoption partner Four Footed Friends, Susan met Buddy, a rescue Great Dane who would help mend her heart when she needed it most.
“We Have a Great Dane Here Who Needs You”
On December 22, I tragically lost my beloved Great Dane, Luv. I was devastated and heartbroken. It was one of the darkest times in my life, but during the weeks that followed, my PetSmart family rallied around me with love and support that helped ease the pain.
My team had shared news of my loss with our adoption partner, Four Footed Friends, and let them know I was hoping to rescue again someday.
Then, on January 26, near the end of my shift, I received a phone call that would change everything.
The voice on the phone said, “We have a Great Dane here, and we know he needs you.”
When I told my team I was on my way to the shelter, there was celebration and joy all around me. I finished my shift in tears, overwhelmed by the love and support surrounding me. For the first time in weeks, the darkness I had been carrying began to lift.
When I arrived at the shelter, they walked out a Great Dane named “Little Man.” He was skinny and sad-looking, and his nails were overgrown like spikes.
But the moment he walked up to me, he gently placed his head in my lap.
I rubbed his ears, lifted his paw into my hand and told him, “Life is going to get better now, Buddy.”
From that moment on, Buddy became his name.
A Dog Who Needed Hope
Buddy had arrived at the shelter earlier that same morning. He had been abandoned, left tied to a porch and nearly starved before someone finally found him.
At just 110 pounds, he was severely underweight for a Great Dane who should have weighed closer to 170 pounds. His trust in people was shaken, and the light in his eyes had faded.
But when I looked at him, I felt something undeniable: we needed each other.
As we walked out of the shelter together, Buddy headed straight to my car as if he already knew it belonged to us. He climbed into the back seat, rested his head on the center console and leaned against my arm the entire ride.
Before heading home, we made one very important stop—PetSmart.
Welcomed by His PetSmart Family
Buddy’s new PetSmart family welcomed him with love, excitement and open arms.
Then we headed home together.
The moment Buddy walked through the front door, it felt like he had always belonged there. He climbed onto the daybed that had belonged to Luv, almost as though he understood the space he was filling in my heart.
That first night, I invited him onto the bed. He hesitated at first, then cautiously climbed up beside me. Curling close, he let out a silly little “woo-woo” sound that felt like his way of saying, “I love you.”
I laughed and cried at the same time.
These are the moments we live for.
Learning to Trust Again
The weeks that followed revealed just how much trauma Buddy had endured.
He was stoic and unsure of the world around him. He didn’t know how to play with toys because survival had been his only focus for so long.
I realized I needed to better understand his fears and insecurities, so I enrolled in an animal communication class to learn how to help him heal.
Little by little, Buddy began to change.
One day, he picked up a stuffed toy that was lying on the floor and started to play with it. When I laughed, he became even more playful, almost as though his purpose was simply to make me smile.
Today, Buddy has an entire collection of “Lambys” that he proudly carries around the house and greets me with when I come home from work.
Healing Together
As Buddy’s confidence grew, we continued working on trust and socialization. Friends bravely visited and patiently interacted with him until he began looking forward to their company and affection.
We also faced separation anxiety together. We were both grieving loss and learning how to feel secure again.
Every morning, we practiced grounding exercises. Over time, leaving for work became easier for both of us. Buddy learned that I would always come home, and each day he greeted me at the door with a Lamby in his mouth and joy in his eyes.
He was no longer afraid of being abandoned.
The Power of Adoption and Community Support
My journey with Buddy changed my life in ways I never expected.
Through him, I discovered a deeper understanding of healing, trust and the bond between people and pets. None of it would have happened without the support of our adoption partners and the generosity that helps keep shelters and rescues operating every day.
Because of that support, Buddy and I found each other exactly when we needed it most.
He filled my heart with joy again, and together, we found healing.
Buddy and Susan found each other when they needed it most. Your support helps make these life-changing connections possible for more pets and people.
