Lost and Found

I think to say that my life has been a roller coaster is an unfair analogy. I like roller coasters, they’re fun. The ups and downs that have been most of my adult life were not fun. Let’s just say that my life did not go the direction I thought it would. I started down a nice country lane that somehow threw me into a roundabout that I couldn’t get off of. Once I escaped the roundabout, I found myself on a six-lane highway with no clue of which exit I needed to take. I was lost.

That being said, I don’t think I could have navigated through any of it without my Yorkie Squiggles. He was not a stray or a rescue. He was a bonified, purebred, AKC registered $800 puppy. He was 8 weeks old when I brought him home and he was with me for 13 insane years. I took him everywhere with me and he was always happy to go. He was calm and well behaved and most importantly, he was always there when I needed support. So, when he died of old age, I was devastated. I know some people think that the best thing to do at that time it’s to go right out and find another dog, but I just couldn’t. I didn’t think my heart could love another dog until it had time to heal.

Flash forward to a couple of years later and I began feeling that void again, you know what I’m talking about, the one that can only be filled by a furry companion. The only problem was that my living conditions at the time were not suitable for a dog, so I got a cat instead. Now, I’ve had both cats and dogs my whole life and I love cats, however I think we can all agree that the relationship you have with each animal is drastically different. Finnegan was awesome. He was also not a stray or a rescue, although he was adopted from some friends of mine. He was feisty and sweet at the same time and he actually had some dog-like qualities like playing fetch and growling at people outside the window. He was full of personality (and still is) and he satisfied my desire for a furry friend despite not being a dog.

Then it happened. After a few years of being a cat mom, I moved into a cute little mobile home with a yard! It didn’t take long for me to start daydreaming about getting a puppy. I was still in daydream mode and hadn’t started actually looking yet, when I saw an Instagram post with the cutest, sweetest, little face. Turns out that the same friends whom I got Finn from had rescued a litter of puppies from the Native American Reservation north of us. This area is well known for its stray dog population. So much so that the term “res dog” is quite commonly used.

As soon as I saw that face, I knew I had to find out more. My friend gave me the particulars and the story of how the puppies came to them was heartbreaking. They had been an unwanted litter. These people had a dog that was free to roam the neighborhood, but they didn’t believe in getting their dog spayed. My friend’s daughter lived next door and hated to see the animals, including the mother, being neglected. Then one night a pack of coyotes came through the neighborhood looking for dinner and decided that the puppies would be a tasty treat. My friend’s daughter and her roommates knew they had to do something as the owners were not home. They saved the puppies from the “big, bad, wolves” and brought them to their house where they kept them safe for the night. In the morning they went to explain to the owners what had happened and the reaction they got was horrific. “You should have let the coyotes have them” they said. Can you believe that! Thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach. Ugh!

Now I knew I had to adopt one of these precious babies and show it all the love that it deserved. I let my friend know that I intended on adopting a puppy, but I needed to speak to my landlords first. I wouldn't want to make that decision without their approval and risk having to make the choice of finding this precious baby a new home or getting evicted if they disapproved. I was nervous about this because now that I had my heart set on getting a puppy, I knew it would break my heart if they said no. Thankfully my landlords are the best kind of people and after agreeing to a refundable deposit they said yes!

As you can imagine, my brain jumped into overdrive with all of the things I needed to do and purchase to be fully prepared for bringing a puppy into my home. I had to get a crate, food and water bowls, food, a collar and leash, toys...you get the idea. First, I had to let my friend know that I had recieved approval to move forward with the adoption. There were four or five in the litter and they were all equally adorable, but I had my heart set on the cutie that I had seen on Instagram that day. They told me she was a Lab Mix about 12 weeks old. She was mostly black with white on her chin and down her chest. She also had white on her toes and a little on the tip of her tail. I made arrangements to go meet her to make sure we would be a good fit. When I arrived at my friends’ house the puppies were all in the back yard. I sat on the couch while my friend let them in. With the chaos of puppies at my feet and on the couch next to me it took me a second to pick out my girl, but only a second because it seemed that she knew I was there to see her. She pushed her way through her brother and sisters right to me and jumped up in my lap to give me kisses and the rest is history!

I let my friends know that I would need a little time to gather the items that she would need. So, we made arrangements for me to come pick her up in about a week. She had an appointment to get her last puppy shots before then, and I wanted to make sure I had a couple of days off of work to be with her while she adjusted to her new living situation. Before I left on that first visit, they asked me if I had thought of a name yet. The crazy part is that I had named her even before I knew for sure that I was going to be able to adopt her. "Her name is Kenya." I expalained. How did I pick that name you ask? Well, you might say that I have a little bit of an obsession with elephants, and I follow an Instagram account of an awesome elephant wildlife trust. They rescue orphaned baby elephants (one might call them strays) and raise them until they can be reintegrated into the wild. This wonderful reserve is located in, yep you guessed it, Kenya! The name was so perfect that I don’t think I even considered anything else.

This little girl has brought so much joy to my life! She’s a year and a half now and her name suits her perfectly. She is adventurous and a little wild. She is also regal in her own way, loving and very intelligent. She is a snuggle bug who sleeps under the covers. She seems to know when I’m not feeling well and will lay on or against me to help me feel better. She motivates me to keep moving and she makes me laugh every single day. I couldn’t have asked for a better companion. She loves Finn, maybe a little too much, and he loves her in his own way. They seem to have found a happy existence together. Kenya is such a big part of my life now that I can’t remember what it was like without her. Anyone who has ever rescued an animal will tell you that it’s actually the animal who rescued them. I feel like that is true of all my pets, even my turtle Steve. I think it is more the case with Kenya though. I may not have realized that I needed rescuing at the time but, once we found each other, I think we both realized that we had found someone to care for, and that we would be cared for from now on.