Sandy
by Tanya M. Jackson

There are two dogs named Sandy in my life as a shelter volunteer. One passed so quickly through that I could not get enough time with her, but I still remember her eyes. She's a red dog, a lot like Gary's Sugah. She looks a lot like many of the dogs who pass through the shelter. I really don't know what the mix is, but it's the combination we most often see. Medium size, red, sometimes a dark muzzle or a touch of white on chest, face and feet.

This Sandy was quiet and serious. Yet when she looked at me it was like looking into her soul. (Do animals have souls? I believe that they do!) Her beautiful soft brown eyes were wide and serious and when I came to take her out of her kennel for a walk, she always looked so steadily at me. I think she was so intent on finding a home of her own that she was willing it - just willing it to be so. The first PETSMART Adoption Day that I volunteered at is quite memorable to me. I'd not done this before.

"Just give me orders!" I said to Sparky, our new Director. The trek to Jacksonville was an hour, and I rode with Ursula, another volunteer, with two dogs in crates in the back of her SUV. Not long into the trip, Sandy was very sick. We could not pull over on the busy highway, so we all endured until we got to the mall where PETSMART is located.

Ursula walked the other dog and I tended to Sandy. Again her serious eyes looked at me, this time with apology in them. I reassured her over and over as I cleaned her up, moved the crate out and cleaned Ursula's vehicle as best I could. Sandy and I walked until she was calm and "emptied" as we say.

All these dogs are walked before we leave the shelter and again at our destination. Still, there are accidents, and we all know how to cope! There was opportunity to be with dogs in pens outside of the store, and I jumped at that chance. I take every opportunity that I can to be outside here in Florida. I guess it wouldn't be that way in the heat of summer, but this was November. It was a marvelous day.

I kept Sandy with me, and "talked her up." Right away a beautiful golden lab/retriever in the next pen was adopted, and I was proud to be able to assist the handsome young man who was interested. He had his little son with him, and a cell phone conversation going on with his wife. He knew what he was looking for and he was there EARLY to find it. Whoopee! My first PETSMART adoption.

I held the leash on his new dog while he did the paperwork and went shopping for goodies for the newest member of his family. Meanwhile Sandy watched the proceedings. I kept calling her Ginger, it just seemed to me that name fit her best, but her paperwork said Sandy, so I tried to adjust my thinking accordingly.

A number of people admired her, but there were no takers. One young woman bonded with her and spent a great deal of time with her, just looking and petting and talking quietly to her. Eventually she called her husband, who was not so certain. Reluctantly she finally left. Late that afternoon, we loaded up the dogs that did not get adopted, Sandy among them, and returned to the shelter to settle everyone in for the night.

These adoption days sponsored by NO MORE HOMELESS PETS are fabulous opportunities to get dogs adopted, and to reach out to people to educate them about spaying and neutering, about adopting a shelter pet, rather than buying from a breeder. Unless you plan on breeding or showing a dog yourself there really is no need to pay a high price for a dog. "Save a lifel" we preach. There are so many wonderful homeless dogs and cats desperately needing and wanting new "forever homes and forever families" of their own.

A week went by. At the shelter I went to the big dog kennels and took Sandy out for a walk every chance that I got. Usually I work with the puppies but Sandy had stolen my heart. On Saturday Caryl took a photo of me with Sandy pretending she was my lap dog and kissing me! I sat on the curb for this photo, and suddenly had to do a violent leap up and frantic jumping around - Caryl and Sandy looked on in amazement, until Caryl realized that I had sat down too near a nest of ants who had quickly found their way inside my clothes. Wow! One does not want to do that very often!

And another Saturday came. At nine o'clock the doors to the shelter opened as always. There stood the young woman who had spent so much time admiring Sandy at PETSMART two weeks ago. She was smiling at me. "I convinced my husband ! " she said. "Sandy is going to be my dog! He will choose one for himself later."

Tears came to my eyes, and joyfully I went to the noisy, confusing kennels to get this lucky dog. The young woman had already answered all the questions, and shown her love for Sandy. All we needed to do was get this adoption underway and let these two be together.

The photo that I took that day at the shelter shows Sandy so happy, and the young woman so happy too --- Sandy is trying to be a lap dog again and her new owner has her arms around her. She agrees with me, this dog has a soul and she could not forget her! And I have more tears of happiness in my eyes, hiding behind the little box camera that I use. What a lucky dog ! What a lucky ownerl (You will hear me saying that phrase again and again and again - it is my mantra.)