I took a break from my work and read Martha Anne Tudor’s compelling descriptions of animals waiting to be adopted at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. “Lonely hearts are waiting for you,” she always wrote at the end of her Facebook posts. One of those lonely hearts kept appearing on her posts – a German Shepherd/Carolina Dog/Heeler mix rolled into a striking chocolate-colored dog with antennas for ears, appropriately named Surprise.
I thought she’d be adopted quickly, but the posts kept coming. In Surprise, I saw something extraordinarily special, but nobody was coming forward. She had been in the shelter for over four months, and it was wearing on her.
This year has been especially hard on dogs and cats. So many animals were left in shelters or abandoned when families went back to work and school post-COVID 19. In addition, as prices rise, more and more families are giving up their pets. It is heartbreaking. I already had many animals, but I couldn’t sit on the sidelines waiting for someone else to step up.
I live in Columbia, but I go to Aiken every week. I stopped at the shelter to meet Surprise. She was frustrated in her kennel and exhibiting real signs of shelter stress. She spun in circles, chewed down her toenails, and had a hard time connecting with people. Questions about her adoptability hung in the air. And yet I could see that she was a great dog in a terrible situation. I decided to test my hypothesis.
I became certified as a FOTAS volunteer so that I could walk Surprise. I took her on 40-minute walks, letting her take her time. I expected absolutely nothing in return from her, and yet, each time, we would have a moment of connection. I started going to Aiken more to work with her, and she recognized me and wagged her tail. I’d cry all the way back to Columbia after I put her back in her kennel.
I began going to Aiken more just to see Surprise. She’d jump up and gently place her paws on me. It was deeply moving. I volunteered to be her trainer in the canine citizen class they offer to shelter dogs. For a second, I got her to focus on me and not on all the shelter stress. It was an amazing moment. For three weeks, I went to the shelter and worked with Surprise, and we got comfortable with each other. Then one day, I took her home. I cried all the way home, but this time the tears were of happiness and relief.
Surprise is one of the kindest, most responsive, cuddly dogs I have ever met. She is in the top one percent of dogs I have known. My partner and I work with her to build her confidence and help her adjust, and Surprise has responded faster than I could have imagined. She is the best surprise of my life!
By Gabi Kuenzli, FOTAS Volunteer and Pet Adopter
