When Clade Tuttle visited the Aiken County Animal Shelter three months ago, he had no idea it would dramatically change his life for the better.
He went to the shelter to adopt a small dog for his 5-year-old son, Colton. But Colton found himself drawn to Tock, a 40-pound mixed breed with a mahogany brindle coat. Tuttle reminded his son that they were looking to take home a much smaller pup. But when two-year-old Tock curled up next to Colton and then got on his back for a tummy rub, Tuttle gave in and adopted the affectionate stray.
Tuttle, a marine who saw action in Iraq and Afghanistan, now works from home, so he and Tock started spending a lot of time together. Every morning, they would drop Colton off at school and run errands.
“At first, Tock would ride in the backseat and then he began joining me in the front seat,” Tuttle said. “He’d go everywhere with me.”
Then something happened. Tock began leaning into Tuttle when he felt his new owner was stressed, upset or angry.
“Sometimes I would be tense and he could sense it,” said Tuttle, who has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and fights depression as a result of his wartime experiences. “Tock put his paws on my lap, so I rubbed his head and behind his ears. He wouldn’t move until I calmed down. He does it every time I’m feeling anxious.”
Tuttle said he was in a “dark place” before Tock entered his life. He thinks the unfortunate events that occurred during the United States exit from Afghanistan was the catalyst for his latest bout with depression. He fought in Operation Enduring Freedom but was back home when the U.S pulled out its troops. “We needed to get out of there,” he said. “But the way we did it, it hurt.”
Thankfully, with Tock’s help, Tuttle is feeling better now. And Tock is loving his new life. He just finished a three-week off-leash training course and has a new canine sister, Lexi, a miniature pinscher.
“Tock came along when I was in a deep, dark hole,” Tuttle said. “There was a lot of stuff in my head eating me up. But he rescued me. Not the other way around. This dog is one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.”
The County Animal Shelter is full this holiday season and has many more wonderful dogs and cats in need of homes. Now is the perfect time to adopt a new best friend and give the ultimate present to this pet — a forever home. This Saturday, Dec. 17, is our Home for the Holidays adoption event. The adoption fee for all available animals will be $0 and Santa will be there to pose for photos with you and your new pet!
Their lives are in our hands.
By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director
