Adopting Acorn

/ As seen in the TRIPPIN’ issue

Editor’s note: We recently received a message from a proud mama that thrilled us:
Dear Unleash, Beatrice is a reader of your magazine, and we recently ordered four back issues for her to dive into. She always has at least one Unleash Magazine with her for reading at restaurants, in the car, or wherever there might be a quiet moment. For years she has collected photos of animals in need of adoption, and she is so proud to now be the mommy to her first ever rescue pet! Acorn came from a hoarder home with 50 cats and 30 dogs, we are working to socialize him to his new life where everything is brand new to him … I wanted to share with you the appreciation my daughter has for your magazine.

WOW! What an amazing kiddo! We greatly appreciate Beatrice’s love for animals, commitment to adoption, and affinity for Unleash! We had to hear more about her newly adopted dog …

 

/ By Beatrice, Age 10
Acorn is our newly adopted dog, we got him from S.A.F.E Pet Rescue in St. Augustine on July 10. He is a Jack Russell-mix that is around one year old. We adopted him because he was the only dog at the shelter that would let us pet him, and he was playing with the other dogs in his run instead of barking at us. He seemed happy and calm, so we brought him home as a foster and then a few days later we decided to adopt him. Acorn is surprisingly mellow for a Jack Russell Terrier. Among his favorite things are sleeping, playing, and bone chewing. I enjoy training Acorn, walking him, playing and cuddling with him. In just two months, he has learned sit, lay down, wait, sit pretty, crawl, and roll over! Together we play fetch and frisbee, one time I was playing fetch with him and he was trying to go after the ball at the same time he had another ball in his mouth. We are still working on him catching the frisbee in his mouth.

When we first brought him home from the shelter, he was afraid of the slightest things, like a grocery bag, blinds suddenly opening, palm fronds swaying in the yard, trash cans on trash day, his own shadow and reflection, and some new people. Since bringing him home, almost all of these fears have diminished. When he first meets new people I have to ask them not to reach down and pet him at first because he is handshy. Once he has the chance to sniff feet and feel secure he is much more willing to be petted. This has taught me that some dogs are shy when they first meet new people and not to go straight down and pet them and to always ask before petting a dog.

Recently, we took Acorn to North Carolina and he loved it. He was climbing on the rocks like a mountain goat. He enjoyed hiking and if we tried to turn around on a hike Acorn would just stand there and look at us like, please let me keep hiking. It was so cute! Acorn was so good during the car ride to North Carolina—he didn’t whine, whimper, or bark on any of the long car rides.

Having Acorn in my life has made everything better by a vigintillion. I think if Acorn could talk he would say the same. •

The day we met Acorn
Acorn’s first trip to the beach
The happy day we brought Acorn home

A Gift Of The Heart

A Gift of the Heart / Jessica Caplette
As seen in Unleash Jacksonville / No. 24 HEART Issue

“There will always be that dog that no dog will replace, that dog that will make you cry even when it’s been gone more years than it could have ever lived.”

(MD ‘The gift of a great dog’)

I cried when asked to write a story for the HEART issue of Unleash Jacksonville. Just the mention of a heart dog was enough to flood my face with tears (in public…again). I lost my heart dog after a two-year fight with lymphoma.

But this story is about beginnings…

Remi was a black dog who wasn’t doing well in a rural shelter. Fur Sisters stepped up and gave her the break she needed. She had two failed fosters and was back in boarding needing a savior. So why not me?

Remi was on kitchen counters, sailing over couches, digging, chasing cars, jumping on people and scaring the crap out of anyone on a bicycle. She was a disaster! There was no way anyone was going to adopt her! Luke hadn’t been home all week, but Thursday night he got to experience our new foster first-hand. That night he slept on the couch with her and Remi was immediately smitten.

We sent our unruly foster to training the next day at Jet Set Pets. She came home a few weeks later a manageable dog! Luke worked with her every day for a few more weeks and Remi was finally ready for her first adoption event!

I vividly remember watching Luke take her into the yard at Brewhound and her looking at him like he was the only one in the park. With the grin on his face, I knew he found his heart dog. When we left that night, he asked if we could talk about keeping Remi. My heart was still shattered from losing Max, I wasn’t ready for a new family member.

A week later Remi was headed back down to Brewhound for a meeting with potential adopters. Luke was furious that I wouldn’t even discuss keeping Remi and I was forcing him to participate. “It’s not fair that you’re going to deny me experiencing with Remi what you had with Max!” Words true enough I had to choke back tears. I don’t think anyone should be denied the privileged experience of a heart dog.

We arrived and Kelly from Fur Sisters asked Luke to fill out some information on Remi that might help the adopters. He took the pen, likely cussing me out under his breath, and started to read the questions:

1. Would you love Remi forever?
He shot me a dirty look.

2. We hope you answered yes because she is yours forever!

Tears welled up in his eyes as confusion became understanding that this “adoption meet and greet” was all for him. Remi knew, because in that moment she jumped on him frantically kissing him…and wouldn’t you know it but there just so happened to be a photographer handy (thank you Layla Neal)!

I love dogs. I’ve loved all my dogs deeply. But I think you only get one heart dog. And I’m so grateful that Luke found his. •

ROCCO – I call him my puppy soulmate

 

My Heart Dog / Gina Pape
As seen in Unleash Jacksonville / No. 24 HEART Issue

ROCCO

It alllll started two years ago in July. Before I met my boyfriend, I was living alone and I missed our family dogs—we’d always had a dog (or three) running around. A house is just not a home to me unless there’s a dog running around! I went to the Jacksonville Humane Society three times in one week. The third time was the charm! I saw Rocco (previously Dixon) posted as a new dog that morning. I walked up to his cage when I got there and he looked completely exhausted. He let out a little tail wag and smile. That was it. I chose him. I brought him home and was completely in love right away. I wanted a dog who would never leave my side—that’s what I got, and so much more! As much as he’s attached to me, I’m just as attached to him. My family calls him Shadow Boy, as I trip over him on a weekly basis. I’ve had six family dogs throughout my life, but never one of my very own—Rocco is my first. I’ve never shared a bond or connection with a dog as I do with Rocco. He’s so special. He truly is my everything and will forever hold a piece of my heart. I honestly can’t put into words how much he means to me. He’s on my mind all day, every day—yes, I’m obsessed! I call him my puppy soulmate … he’s everything and more I could ever want in a best friend.

Photos: Woof Creative Photography

 

My Kylo – It hurt my heart to let him go

My Heart Dog / Laurie Fowler
As seen in Unleash Jacksonville / No. 24 HEART Issue

Kylo

We were fostering three 7-to-8 week-old puppies for Fur Sisters Furever Urs Rescue for several weeks—two little girls and one boy who were taken from a bad situation. I was personally going through an extremely difficult time and fostering, along with my own pups, just helped ease the pain. The girls were quite hyper and would pick on the little boy. He just wanted to cuddle and be next to someone and usually that was me. He (Kylo) became a huge comfort for me. He helped me through many hard days.

Fast forward a few weeks … we’d pre-planned a vacation so another volunteer was going to take over fostering the puppies. I helped to get the girls get settled, but I just couldn’t bring myself to hand Kylo over, so I had my husband do it as I went to sit in the car crying. We’d fostered before and, although you love them all, you’re happy for them and their new lives. This time—with him—all I wanted was for his new life to be with us. But I knew my husband didn’t want three dogs. I was just so connected to him, it hurt my heart to let him go. The exchange was over and our drive home was rather quiet, minus the sniffles from my crying.

The whole time on vacation, and even when we got back home, I just felt lost.

Two days after our return, I was having a particularly bad day, and it just so happened that my husband told me that he had a meeting and would be coming home late. That just sent me deeper over the edge.

I was laying in bed when he got home. I didn’t turn around to acknowledge him, and before he said anything I felt the familiar sensation of excited little feet on the bed. I turned around to see the beautiful little puppy face I missed so much running up to me, ready for snuggles and kisses! Needless to say I burst into tears! Once composed, I asked my husband what made him bring him home and he said, “It was more important that you had him, then me not wanting a third dog.” He had planned the day after our return from vacation to pick him up after we got back. 🙂

Photos by Woof Creative Photography. See Kylo’s entire gallery!