My Sweet Lani

 

By: Tracey Zysk – September, 2010

On August 28, 2010 my life changed forever….my sweet Lani arrived! At 2:15 pm on this beautiful Saturday afternoon there were approximately fifteen cars lined up along the side of the road waiting for the transport bus to pull in.

Anxiously waiting we were all standing around asking each other, who are you picking up, are you a foster or are you adopting?

Have you used this rescue before? Will they be on time? The nerves were in the air and we all had them. Not knowing what to expect but ready for the arrival, we all couldn’t wait for that bus to arrive from Texas.

Then around the corner she came…the white transport bus we had all been waiting for had just arrived. It drove by and turned around to be next to us. I couldn’t believe it. My dog was here. My life was about to forever change. Single, come and go as I please, do as I want, be responsible for nobody but me, all that was no longer with the simple turn of the truck. And I couldn’t have been happier!

A month prior I had been looking at the rescues on line. I had been telling myself when the time was right I would adopt. But it seemed like that time was never right, it was never going to happen, there was always something. But then I saw Lani’s picture. I couldn’t believe my eyes; I couldn’t believe I was seeing what I was seeing. No way I thought. I looked at a few more pictures of other dogs and came right back to Lani. I pulled up her profile and was in even more shock as I read. Everything I was hoping for in an adoption was listing on her bio sheet. I literally got up and walked away from my computer because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. When I returned I read it again…the words were the same. It was true; everything I was hoping for was Lani. I then knew it was now time!

I began the adoption process and filled out all the paperwork. Days later I was scheduled for my home visit. Passing that with no problem, I started buying all the necessities needed for my new dog. I was prepared. I was ready. But I had no idea.

As the dogs were coming off the bus, I still had no idea. I was ready, I was prepared, I did everything right. I want my dog but I still had no idea.

Then I saw her, the most beautiful Boston Terrier I had ever seen in my life. The care taker was holding this 20lb nervous petite little black and white canine. She was scared, she was being relocated again and she knew it. The obviously frightened dog didn’t know what was going on. She was tired, she was hungy and she was shaking. The care taker handed Lani to me and I knew, I knew that was my baby, my girl, and I couldn’t have been happier. I was that person taking all the pictures, I was that person saying she is so precious, she so sweet …but I still had no idea.

When we got home and started to get settled in, she knew I was going to be the person taking care of her, she knew she was in a new location, but she had no idea. I put her in the tub to give her a bath. As I was rubbing shampoo down her back, and splashing the water on her to get the dirt off her, Lani stood up and turned around and faced me. She so gently climbed up me and leaned over and starting kissing me.

At that point we both knew….Lani was forever home!

Tracey Zysk, owner of Wiggles & Jiggles Pet Care in North Andover MA is a local pet care professional. She has been featured on local radio, tv and newspapers educating the general public on animal care and animal health & wellness. Tracey is a proud supporter of Police, Fire & Military K9 units. Tracey may be reached at wigglewalk@comcast.net