A doggie dream come true.
I am a professional dog trainer. I know that because I get paid for it. Once you cash a check for something, you’re officially a pro at it. I am also a professional writer because this lovely magazine sends me money for my columns, which I have so much fun writing for you. Sometimes the two worlds collide and you get a story about dogs, like this one.
As a person who is very familiar with a lot of dog breeds, I have a “bucket list” of dogs I’d like to own some day. I have been fortunate enough to have some of them fall into my lap and thoroughly enjoyed them in the family. It always takes me a while to find the right dog to join our pack. I search and search.
The reason it takes a long time for me to find just the right dog is that I simply can’t buy a dog. I just can’t. I have served on the board of a rescue group and I can’t buy a dog when so many spectacular dogs are available through rescue. Even if you’re looking for a specific breed like I often do, 28 percent of the dogs in rescue are pure bred. Rescue is the way to go, as far as I’m concerned.
One of my long-term bucket list residents was a French bulldog. I have wanted one for decades. They have become incredibly popular so they are snapped up as soon as they are available. They are the most stolen breed in the United States right now, that’s how popular and lucrative they are. I will pay any adoption fee but I cannot bring myself to buy a pup. It’s not like I could afford a pup either. I have had Frenchies in my training class that ranged in price from $3,000 to $6,000. Wow. Just wow.
Of course, I told everyone I knew that I was looking for a French bulldog. Everyone. Bingo! It paid off. A friend of mine who works at the shelter called me one day. It was 11:35 a.m. and she said, “Can you be here by noon?”
Now, I live a fat 40 minutes from the shelter. To make it in 25 minutes is impossible, unheard of. I did it. I pulled into the parking lot on the nose of noon and ran into the lobby. What awaited me there? The chubbiest, cutest, five-year-old French bulldog. Jackpot!
How did such a desirable dog end up in the shelter available for a mere $250 adoption fee? It’s a funny story. This particular shelter is very accommodating of pets whose owners have found themselves in jail. They’ll hold the animals until the owners make bond, or serve a short sentence. My Frenchie’s previous owner had recently indulged in a bit of felony auto theft. Normally, a bond would be given and spit-spot, the animal would be returned. However, bond is not given if one also has warrants out in six other states. I think the courts see multiple states getting involved as not a one-time mistake, but a very bad habit that needs to be addressed.
Once the shelter was informed that this was a long-term thing, and once no other family member said they would take the animal, arrangements are made to put it up for adoption. My dog was going up online as adoptable at noon. Noon! That’s a mid-day Cinderella event. At 12:01, poof, dog’s gone.
I got there on time (don’t ask me how) and adopted my Dobby the Wonder Dog at noon. My friend tells me that 80 people called to ask if he was adopted yet between noon and 1:00 when the computer guy came back from lunch and took the listing down.
Yep, that’s right. I got my dream dog for a measly $250. Three months later, his cornea ruptured and I had to pay $5,000 for complicated eye surgery. There’s no such thing as a free (or even reasonably priced) dog.
The story above first appeared in our May / June 2022 issue. For more like it subscribe today or log in with your active BRC+ Membership. Thank you for your support!