Jake
by Melissa Day

What it feels like to be humbled ... When I first began fostering for the Nassau Humane Society, I honestly had no idea just how wonderful it would be. Jake was my first foster child. Lynda had chosen him to go home with me because he was in need of care during heart worm treatment and recovery. So 3 weeks before his heart worm treatment started he hopped in to my van and this is how the story begins.

My family had seen me pull up in the drive way with Jake. His big, red head hanging out the van window was hard to miss. My husband and kids were just as excited as I was. Jake probably wasn't sure what to make of all the excitement and attention. I first showed him the back yard. We were all watching him and he stood there looking back at all of us for the longest time with those big brown eyes and finally Jake made a bee line for our tire swing hanging from our huge oak tree.

In just a short time he had brought laughter and smiles to my family. Already I liked him. I had wondered if I could give him up in the end. I suspect Jake had never been in the house before. Simple every day things, the microwave, alarm clock, etc seemed to scare him a bit those first days, but he soon got use to the alarm clock going off at 7am and realized that only good smelling food came out of the microwave. I imagine the kids shared a few hot dogs with him. Yes, I looked the other way.

A feeding schedule and routine had been laid out for him. He was skinny in the beginning so we fed him an extra meal mid day (besides all those hot dogs). He quickly put on weight. His coat became thicker and softer. His manners were never bad to begin with. It breaks my heart to see and know a dog who has never played with toys and balls. This was the case with my 3 year old Jake. I threw the ball and he just looked at me and then looked out at where the ball had landed with those big bright eyes and had probably wondered what I wanted him to do. So we took it a step at a time and eventually he knew those toys meant fun.

Jake's heart worm treatment started in March. Lynda with 5 other dogs, and I with Jake had made that long trip to Jacksonville for heart worm shots. The shot had looked painless but after leaving the vets office Jake had begun to feel it's effects. He was eating and drinking ok but seemed lethargic for a couple of days. He rested on my bed in the evenings with his paw on my leg so that I wouldn't leave his side. I had wondered again if in fact I could give him up in the end.

A few weeks later the Nassau Humane Society had set up the barking lot at the Bausch and Lomb Women's Tournament. It's the first time Jake had any adoption exposure. I couldn't make it myself that day but Sparky had offered to take him. I can still vividly remember that morning. I bathed him, brushed him, trimmed his nails, and fussed way too much over him, and told him all the way to the shelter that he must be a good boy. I knew he couldn't be anything else. I chatted with workers for a few minutes and put Jake on the inside of the fence and said good bye to him. He didn't seem to pay much attention. As I was driving away I looked back and there he was, front paws standing on the fence watching me leave and all the while he was pulling at my heart strings. Again asking myself, "Can I let go?".

That same week, I had worked with Jake on his leash walking. He pulled very hard while wearing a choke collar and flat collar so I started using the gentle leader, and what a huge difference it made. Of course he didn't like it at first because it gave me complete control. But Jake liked taking walks so much that after a few days he didn't seem to mind the collar at all. Our walks were short trips around the block in our neighborhood a couple times a day and with each walk his heel improved.

I was so proud of my big red dog. Jake had truly come so far in such a short time.  He only needed an understanding hand to guide him in the right direction.    By now 2 months had passed and Jake had completely settled in to our home and seemed to fit in, in every way. He went to baseball games with us and we walked the beach at sunset. He always got along so well with my own dog. They wrestled and played like brothers. My kids always had many treats and lots of hugs for him if he would sit or lay down on command. He and I looked forward to watching Animal Cops together every night. It was our time and with his paw on my leg, he made sure I didn't leave his side.

We were invited to walk Jake in the shrimp festival parade with all the other shelter dogs and volunteers. During the parade Jake and I stopped for every child who wanted to pet him. My daughter Susan handed out beaded necklaces and hurried me along when Jake and I fell too far behind. Jake, Susan, and I had a blast!

With Jake's second round of heart worm shots he had once again became lethargic, but this time his spine and back legs were sore after the shot. Lynda supplied me with some pain medication for his sore muscles which is a common side affect after heart worm treatment. Jake was even too sore to climb up on my bed so he and I cuddled up on his fluffy dog pillow to watch TV. I was careful to be sure not to put any pressure on his back limbs. I scratched his chin and rubbed his velvet ears so that he knew I was by his side. About 3 days later Jake was feeling much better. He continued to rest in his kennel. I kept him calm, quiet, and inactive for the next 3 weeks. He was such trooper during recovery, and I think in some way he knew that I was there to make him feel better. But I still questioned whether I could give this boy up in the end. I wasn't sure.

In June, Nassau County held a county wide adoption event with animal control and all rescue groups in the area including the Nassau Humane Society. Jake and I attended the event together. Many families came through that day to pet the dogs, and some were looking for a new companion. A young couple had stopped and asked a lot of questions about Jake and his heart worm treatment. They did not know that heart worms could be treated and cured. I gave this couple a NHS website card with my phone number and told them if they would like to meet Jake again to call me or the shelter to set up an appointment.

The following day was Sunday, Father's Day and the shelter was closed for the holiday. Sure enough the young couple called and said that they could not get Jake off their minds and that they'd like to come and meet him. So that evening they came to my home and spent over an hour getting to know Jake. They talked about the dogs they had grown up with and the dog they had lost to old age. They explained they had just began their life together and only Jake could make their circle complete. These were good people.

Monday afternoon I waited by the phone and sure enough Amanda from the shelter had called and said that Lynda had approved the young couple to adopt Jake, and soon after his new family arrived to pick up their baby. I must have acted  like a mom who's child is going off to college. The young women assured me as they were leaving that Jake would be well cared for and that it would all be gravy for him for the rest of his years. As they drove away I watched for Jake to look back at me but he didn't. That's how I knew he was ready to move on and that the time was right. That terrific family and Jake were meant to be together. With tears of happiness in my eyes, I knew my role in his life was over but never forgotten ... and I did let go ---Melissa Day.

This quote is taken from a long distant friend and kindred spirit in rescue.  Her story "Why Rescue?" inspired me to continue fostering all these lost souls. 

"Our greatest possession, man or beast, is our dignity, and when you restore that dignity to one who has lost it, you give the greatest of gifts. I was allowed to give that gift and humbled by the experience." - By Ann