Who rescued who?

All my life I’ve been a dog snob. By that I mean if I owned a dog I got him from a breeder and it was exclusively German shepherds. They are wonderful, loving, loyal dogs and so smart it will scare you. They also love to be with you, like ALL the time, so they fill the void that inhabits every life now and again. I had great admiration for the people running animal shelters but you never would have caught me stopping by one and adopting a dog. Not because there was a single thing wrong with them, just because I was a snob. That all changed a few weeks ago when I met Keller.

For those who follow my social media page they know my wife and I adopted a dog who is blind and deaf; or about 95 percent deaf. We didn’t do it out of some act of charity, I met the dog by accident and his gentle manner and kind face affected me in a way no other animal ever has. And I’m by no means special; everyone who meets Keller has the same reaction and wants to take him home. But they can’t because he’s mine. I hate to sound like a six year old but I saw him first.

The reason I wanted to write about Keller today is because there is a misconception about two things- shelters in general and Keller in particular. Let’s start with the shelter. The animals they have available to adopt out are fantastic. When I did some volunteer work at the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society back in May (the day I met Keller) I was astounded by the number of beautiful dogs and cats available for adoption. Their new facility is set up where you can walk around as if shopping for a new car and just point to the one you like. I won’t lie, it can be a bit heartbreaking seeing so many animals in cages hoping you’ll stop and give them a second look but thank God they are alive and getting this chance at a forever home.

Now to Keller. Stop feeling sorry for him. He doesn’t know there’s anything wrong with him. He was born blind so he has no idea what sight even means. In a matter of days after coming home he mentally mapped out every inch of my house and motors around better than the other dogs. Also stop praising my wife and me. We didn’t do anything special. People walk up to us and squeeze our hands as if we made this great sacrifice taking Keller home with us. He’s hands down the easiest dog I’ve ever owned. He rarely has an accident in the house and if he does it’s always my fault for not taking him outside when I’m supposed to. He likes sleeping in a crate but if you leave him out and let him roam he never gets into trouble, unlike the other pups. And the only time he barks is when he needs to go out.

I’ve seen shirts before with the words “Who rescued who?” printed across the front. I never appreciated that phrase until now. People go to a shelter because they feel they’re doing a good deed and they are but the secret is they get far more out of this relationship than the dog or cat they take home. I would dare say there is something special about a shelter dog. Unlike the ones who come from the breeder they know what it’s like not to have a family and they are that much more appreciative that you took a chance on them. Don’t take my word for it; ask anyone who has ever adopted this way.

When I wrote my children’s book “God Needed a Puppy” I promised to donate a buck a book to animal shelters. The first eleven checks for $500 went out a few months ago and more checks will be coming soon. I wish I could show you the notes and letters I’ve received back from these shelters showing me how appreciative they are for the help. They love these animals and every dollar they raise or are gifted keeps those pups and kittens alive a bit longer until they can find their forever homes.

I thought about sharing some websites in case you read this column and wanted to donate but there are too many to list and I’d feel bad leaving someone out. Needless to say wherever you live there is a shelter within 20 miles of your home that needs your help. And if money is tight think about donating your time. Although I’ll warn you if you end up working at one of these places you will go home with a pet. It would be impossible to be around them every day and not let them into your heart.

I found Keller by chance. People think he’s lucky. People have that completely backwards. It’s me, I’m the lucky one.