Pet Connection Stories
When Bonnie arrived at the clinic, she looked as much like a
skeleton as a living, breathing dog can look. Her fur was
matted and she walked slowly, finding it hard just to put one
foot in front of the other. But unlike many of the strays brought
in by the Animal Control officer, Bonnie looked happy. She
followed clinic staff and Pet Connection volunteers, delighted
to find friends.
It would be easy to find Bonnie a home, everyone thought.
Even in her bedraggled state, you could see she was a
beautiful collie-shepherd mix and her soulful dark brown eyes
made her an instant favorite. Soon she was adopted and went
to a good home. Everyone believed that dog and owner would
live happily ever after. However, Bonnie panicked when her
new owner left her to go to work in the morning. She howled
nonstop until evening, disturbing both the neighbors and their
dogs. It was only then that we discovered Bonnie had
problems a steady diet hadn’t solved.
After a few days, Bonnie was back. She needed company, we
reasoned, and her next adoptive family, a retired couple,
seemed just right. Bonnie, however, had met and charmed
only the woman. It quickly became apparent that Bonnie was
afraid of some men. She hid in a corner and trembled,
unwilling to let the woman’s husband approach her.
Back she came to the clinic but now Bonnie was no longer
her cheerful self. Twice she had almost had a family of her
own and twice she had been rejected. In a human being, her
behavior would have been called a nervous breakdown. After
she almost destroyed her pen trying to escape, everyone
agreed that Bonnie was a wreck. Hers were no small
problems. Bonnie had probably been abused as a puppy and
was full of fears and quirks.
The Pet Connection usually has a hard time finding just one
home for an abandoned dog. Now Bonnie had a bad track
record and that often makes adoption impossible.
Nevertheless, Bonnie’s gentle, affectionate personality won
her another chance. Bonnie tried, her new owner tried, but in
the end, her third try at finding a home was no more
successful than the other two. Within days, Bonnie was back.
No one wanted to think about what was going to happen next.
The Pet Connection is sometimes able to send dogs to a
shelter in Boulder. However, if Bonnie were sent there, she
would be evaluated and dogs with serious problems do not
pass the test. Bonnie would probably be euthanized if she
were sent away but the Pet Connection did not have money to
continue paying her board. No one wanted to think about the
future.
If angels watch over dogs as well as people, one was
watching over Bonnie the day a volunteer was driving along
Main Street. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a woman
walking a dog that looked so much like Bonnie that it could be
her twin. Suddenly inspired, she turned at the next
intersection, drove around the block and pulled up to the curb
beside the dog walker. Pet Connection volunteers go to some
extraordinary lengths to find homes for abandoned pets.
Exclaiming over the exact likeness, she poured out the story of
Bonnie to the amazed stranger. You would think the listener
would escape from her stalker as quickly as possible but
instead, she agreed to go have a look at Bonnie.
A few days ago, we too were on Main Street and saw not one
but two handsome young dogs proudly trotting along, for all
the world like well-trained thoroughbreds. Brushed and well-
fed, Bonnie has become a really beautiful dog and though
she has her quirks, she is well on her way to becoming a
happy, well-loved family pet. No one makes a home run in
baseball after they have three strikes against them, but one
very lucky dog fortunately doesn’t know the rules.
skeleton as a living, breathing dog can look. Her fur was
matted and she walked slowly, finding it hard just to put one
foot in front of the other. But unlike many of the strays brought
in by the Animal Control officer, Bonnie looked happy. She
followed clinic staff and Pet Connection volunteers, delighted
to find friends.
It would be easy to find Bonnie a home, everyone thought.
Even in her bedraggled state, you could see she was a
beautiful collie-shepherd mix and her soulful dark brown eyes
made her an instant favorite. Soon she was adopted and went
to a good home. Everyone believed that dog and owner would
live happily ever after. However, Bonnie panicked when her
new owner left her to go to work in the morning. She howled
nonstop until evening, disturbing both the neighbors and their
dogs. It was only then that we discovered Bonnie had
problems a steady diet hadn’t solved.
After a few days, Bonnie was back. She needed company, we
reasoned, and her next adoptive family, a retired couple,
seemed just right. Bonnie, however, had met and charmed
only the woman. It quickly became apparent that Bonnie was
afraid of some men. She hid in a corner and trembled,
unwilling to let the woman’s husband approach her.
Back she came to the clinic but now Bonnie was no longer
her cheerful self. Twice she had almost had a family of her
own and twice she had been rejected. In a human being, her
behavior would have been called a nervous breakdown. After
she almost destroyed her pen trying to escape, everyone
agreed that Bonnie was a wreck. Hers were no small
problems. Bonnie had probably been abused as a puppy and
was full of fears and quirks.
The Pet Connection usually has a hard time finding just one
home for an abandoned dog. Now Bonnie had a bad track
record and that often makes adoption impossible.
Nevertheless, Bonnie’s gentle, affectionate personality won
her another chance. Bonnie tried, her new owner tried, but in
the end, her third try at finding a home was no more
successful than the other two. Within days, Bonnie was back.
No one wanted to think about what was going to happen next.
The Pet Connection is sometimes able to send dogs to a
shelter in Boulder. However, if Bonnie were sent there, she
would be evaluated and dogs with serious problems do not
pass the test. Bonnie would probably be euthanized if she
were sent away but the Pet Connection did not have money to
continue paying her board. No one wanted to think about the
future.
If angels watch over dogs as well as people, one was
watching over Bonnie the day a volunteer was driving along
Main Street. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a woman
walking a dog that looked so much like Bonnie that it could be
her twin. Suddenly inspired, she turned at the next
intersection, drove around the block and pulled up to the curb
beside the dog walker. Pet Connection volunteers go to some
extraordinary lengths to find homes for abandoned pets.
Exclaiming over the exact likeness, she poured out the story of
Bonnie to the amazed stranger. You would think the listener
would escape from her stalker as quickly as possible but
instead, she agreed to go have a look at Bonnie.
A few days ago, we too were on Main Street and saw not one
but two handsome young dogs proudly trotting along, for all
the world like well-trained thoroughbreds. Brushed and well-
fed, Bonnie has become a really beautiful dog and though
she has her quirks, she is well on her way to becoming a
happy, well-loved family pet. No one makes a home run in
baseball after they have three strikes against them, but one
very lucky dog fortunately doesn’t know the rules.
| Three Strikes and You’re Not Out |
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