Last May, I received a diagnosis that would require either arthroscopic or replacement surgery to correct. I knew it in my heart when I had to give up jogging due to the pain, but now it was named and clouds of gloom filled the not-so-distant future. I reluctantly forfeited my other sports and bitterly sold my riding horse and trailer. When my retired senior horse had to be put down, my bruised heart felt the loss even more keenly when stacked upon all the others.
My sweet and supportive fiancé Jeremy suggested that we not wait for joy to find us, but hunt the elusive spirit down. What about getting a dog?
Well… I would be working from home more. We did have a fine fenced backyard. Our cats would adjust, wouldn’t they?
It was never a question: we would adopt. The shelters and rescues are overwhelmed with unwanted animals. Both of us had fond memories of family dogs in our homes when we were kids, but neither of us had owned or trained a dog as an adult. We would be ill equipped to handle a dog with significant emotional or physical health problems, but we trusted the staff at the Aiken County Shelter to guide us.
We were drawn to Jeter because of his friendly doggy grin and direct gaze at the camera in his photo on their website. He was clearly part Pit Bull with his beautiful brindle color and boxy head. He was two years old, an ideal age for us because he was housebroken and trained to walk on a leash, but still had youthful puppy-like energy.
When we met him at the shelter, Jeter leapt into Jeremy’s lap like he was a long-lost friend. I knew we had found “our” dog. No way could we send him back to his kennel! He was coming home with us, and his enthusiasm was a balm for my beleaguered spirit.
Once home, he took on the job of looking after us both, following Jeremy from room to room and then dashing off to quickly check on my whereabouts if I wasn’t in his line of sight. He was very affectionate, hardly barked, and happily slept in a crate. He snuggled endearingly with both of us, a 66-pound lapdog.
Our big concern was how he and our two cats would coexist. The shelter sent us home with instructions for introducing new dogs to resident cats. We followed them very carefully and so far have been successful with controlled interactions with minimal stress.
“Jeter” has a new name, Atticus, and we have a house that’s a little messier, but our hearts are more joyful. While horses and cats have always been our main companions, “Atti” has been teaching us the wisdom of the saying, “Dogs are man’s best friend,” and it’s clear how much we needed each other.
Written by Kendra DeKay with Jeremy McCoy
FOTAS note: The shelter is over capacity and there are so many more wonderful dogs at the County Shelter who desperately need loving homes. Like Jeter, they just need a chance to prove what great companions they can be. All this week – through Saturday, July 17 – we will be participating in a statewide adoption event called Pick Me! SC. During this period, the shelter will offer significant discounts and, in many instances, waive adoption fees.
