My first pup

I had always wanted a dog when I was a kid, which when you're little seems a big responsibility. So what did my parents do? They got me hamsters!

They were great while I had them, but I was still wanting a dog, someone to play with and cuddle on at night. When I was 18, my brother and his wife got themselves a litter from an aunt of his wife and they come into my job, saying I could have one of the pups!

The bonus was that the pups were wolf hybreds and I love wolves to my very core. When I picked my girl out, it was the happiest moment of my life. I named her Shunkah. She was just perfect, looking like her dad, who was a tan and black German Shepard with her mom's big teeth with brown eyes.

My folks wouldn't let me keep her at home, so she stayed at my brother's as she grew up. I would go over there every single day to play with her and her siblings.

One day while I was at work, my sister in law comes in and tells me Shunkah jumped the fence! I started freaking out, trying not to cry in front of my co-workers and customers. She told me they had flyers posted everywhere for her and someone was sure to call. I just had to hope and be calm.

My sister in law got a call the next day from a guy that found her in the next county, which was several miles away from home. She had tangled with a skunk, getting sprayed and the guy had taken her to the animal shelter.

Sister in law scooped me up from home and we drove like the wind to get her.

Walking from the parking lot, I heard my girl howling for me, she knew I was there to take her home. We signed the papers and when she saw me, she was the happiest ever. I squeezed and loved on her, telling her that I was so happy she was safe and not to try to escape again.

Life was great, she missed me though when I had to go home or go to work.

She even tried jumping the fence again with her little brother trying to copy her! But he didn't make it over the fence thankfully and Shunkah was found on the other side of the fence and brought back inside.

Wolves need to run!

As the others in the litter were being sold away to friends, Shunkah's little brother, Mogli was left and I wanted him as well, to keep the two together. My sister in law came through my job and I told her what I was wanting and she said we would talk about it when I got off work.

But there was something off about that.

An hour later, she and my brother came in and said they had to talk to me.

My heart just about dropped. This is when they told me that my girl was dead. The neighbors had poured anti freeze in her water because they didn't think she should be around. My sister in law held her as she struggled and left this world.

I was devestated. My girl was gone and I wasn't there with her in her final moments.

We got her justice though. The police arrested them and they were thrown in jail.

The following months, I missed her dearly and my sister in law suggested that I get a tattoo of my sweet girl. She was my first tattoo and the artist included her name for free. And I was his last client as he was retiring that day. That seemed fitting.

Shunkah will always hold a place in my heart and I hold the memories dear. I wasn't sure on sharing this memory but I am happy that I did.