And Now, A Word From A Satisfied Customer!

A story in two parts from Hilary Cisneros:

I have to be honest; I don’t remember what inspired me to get a pet back in 2004. All I remember is discovering PetFinder.com one day. I don’t remember what made me decide to input “Dog” when prompted on the site to “Select Animal”. I didn’t specify the size, breed or gender ... I just clicked “Search” and every day for the next four months, that’s all I did. I searched for hours, looking at pictures of dogs at local shelters and humane societies, reading profiles . . . but so many choices, so many dogs! “Who could decide?!?” I thought. Until I found the one! Short, stocky and with the stubbiest of legs, “Red”, a one year old, red, male Corgi mix. My heart was all a flutter!! I picked up the phone, called the humane society which happened to be this very Charlottesville - Albemarle SPCA... "Hey, I watch Animal Cops, they’re all SPCAs!” and asked if Red was still available and when I could come and meet him.
This was on a Monday and by Tuesday; I was walking up to his kennel. Would you believe I was completely nervous going to meet him for the first time? But once I saw this little furball of energy standing only one foot tall at the withers and jumping high enough to look me in the eye when I’m 5’2”, I had to laugh! The butterflies disappeared. After watching him run around in the play area of the SPCA, the staff person and I walked him back to his kennel and she turned to ask “So what do you think?” I could barely contain myself long enough to reply “When can I take him home?”
It was a Saturday, May 1st, 2004 when I went back at the CASPCA to pick up Red, who I renamed Boscoe Red. On the two hour car ride back home, he laid his little head on my lap and fell asleep.
Skip ahead to the third month of being a new pet owner. Housetraining complete: Check; New toys, bed, crate, water/food dishes, leash and collar to compliment his red coat: Check; Realizing that I no longer own the bed at night: Check; Driving home from work just a little too fast everyday so I can see his Corgi smile and wagging tail greet me at the door: Check! Hey he’s even learned new tricks like Sit, Come, Lay Down, Shake, Roll Over, Stand, Sit Pretty (with front paws in the air), Jump, and Speak (self-taught). What a smart boy I have and PHEW! Pets are a lot of work but they’re worth every second of it. From “Cry on me, Mommy, my fur is super absorbent” to “Bark-Bark-Bark, there’s another cat outside, Bark-Bark-Bark!” to every slobbery, doggie breath kiss on Saturday mornings...they are so worth it.

TO BE CONTINUED.....