A visit from a Princess
Adoption stories are how shelter workers keep going.
One of the best days at an animal shelter is when we have adopted animals stop by for a visit. It gives us the chance to really see the final culmination of our efforts and it provides us all the boost we need.
A few years ago, we had two stray dogs come in at the same time because they were found together in the street. Just like the Bugs Bunny cartoons of old where the big dog and the little dog walk down the street together, Princess and Pepper were a matched set.
They had been found just off the sidewalk with Princess, a 2-year-old pitbull, literally standing over Pepper, a 2-year-old Shih Tzu mix. Princess was using her body to shield Pepper from the traffic.
Can you even begin to imagine the picture they made?
The Princess and Pepper story serves as an amazing example of not only the power of real friendship that can be discovered even in the canine world, but also the serious misconception about pitbulls. A lot of folks out there think pitbulls are bad dogs, and sadly, some of them are trained to be that way.
I knew a lady years ago who just did not trust pitbulls. No matter what I said, I couldn’t convince her not to paint an entire breed with a negative brush just because of the behavior of a few.
Are pitbulls strong? Yes. Do they have powerful jaws? Yes. Are they capable of doing damage? Yes.
But I have also seen pitbulls kiss and hug and separate kids when they are fighting. I’ve seen them lying with babies like the protectors that they are.
Misconceptions in both the human and canine world can be disturbing.
It goes without saying that we were hoping to find Princess and Pepper a home together. They were incredibly bonded, but living in a shelter can be tough on dogs. It’s a lot like sensory overload in some cases. Different people come by at different times, all with different energies and different personalities.
For the sensitive canine, it can be a lot to handle.
One of our Animal Care Technicians equated it to us suddenly waking up one morning to find ourselves in a jail cell. I would be more than a little freaked out and it can be equally trying for our four-legged friends.
We started to see Princess becoming rather alarmingly possessive of Pepper. I know it was her instinct to protect and because of the stress of a shelter, it began to show itself in worrisome ways.
We realized the time had come to separate them. It absolutely broke my heart to do it, even though in my head, I understood the need for it.
Pepper, being an adorable little Shih Tzu, got adopted pretty much immediately and always did fine on her own. Princess took a little longer, but the day did arrive when a family fell in love with her and get this, they had a little Chihuahua whom Princess just adored.
It makes you wonder if maybe Princess was waiting for THIS little dog and was only meant to protect Pepper from the cars on the street that day we found her.
Well, when one of our visits came from an unbelievably healthy, happy looking Princess and her mama telling all kinds of stories about her new life, we were all just beside ourselves with joy.
Seeing Princess like that is beyond a shadow of a doubt the reason animal shelters are in existence. Her tail was wagging and she was thrilled to meet anyone who came up to her and you could just tell she was unbelievably loved.
Before she’d been adopted, Princess had been a little backwards. She was wary of new people and seemed very mistrusting. I have a feeling a lot of that had to do with protecting Pepper, but in the back of my head, I always wondered if Princess would be okay.
Seeing her with her mom definitely alleviated my fears.
Then came the stories. Apparently the little Chihuahua runs the roost. Princess lets her little brother get away with pretty much anything, which stands to reason seeing as how she did the exact same with Pepper.
Then came the story that had me reaching for the tissues.
Apparently Princess’s mom was visiting her parents and her dad has started the first stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Man, at the nursing homes I visit for pet therapy that has to be one of the toughest issues for families to battle. Having a family member no longer recognize themselves or you has to hurt.
Early one morning during the visit, the dad decided (on his own) that he was going to take Princess for a walk. You can imagine the sheer horror of the rest of the family when they woke to find both dad and Princess gone. When recounting the story, thinking about that just about took my breath away.
Princess’s mom said she and her husband combed the neighborhood looking for both of them, calling out to them, probably in a state of growing panic. Minutes would feel like hours when you’re searching for a loved one who had wandered off and the thought the he took the family dog with him must have been agonizing.
Too many scenarios would flash through your mind.
Suddenly, through the woods, a bark could be heard.
The couple recognized Princess.
Mom yelled, “Bring him home, Princess!” and within five minutes, Princess was leading her dad right into his daughter’s waiting arms.
I have to say a lot of the staff at the shelter were tearing up at that one. We all knew Princess was a special dog when she was here and that story shows how truly amazing she is.
Working at a shelter is incredibly difficult and we see all kinds of abuse and neglect. That’s why it’s so very special and poignant and necessary that we get visits or photos or email updates from the animals we have been able to help.
It’s the one way we can know that our efforts are not for naught.
And Princess’s wagging tail and happy face definitely proved it for all of us.
