Giving Tuesday, but make it a way of life
Well, it’s Wednesday. But what I saw yesterday, on Giving Tuesday, were real examples of people stepping up and giving animals in shelters the chances they deserve.
I can’t stop thinking about 10-year-old Henry, a small Chihuahua-looking mix, who was overlooked simply because he had some skin issues and behavioral concerns. But it was Henry’s destiny that brought him to the place where he would meet his family: the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in New York.
There was that magical moment when you could feel a shift in the air, and even the bustling streets of New York City seemed to go quiet. This was the moment that his family finally found him. And Henry went home.
Even better? His adopter Allison introduced Henry to his new canine brother Cayden. Within 12 hours of meeting each other, they figured out that they were always meant to be siblings –– despite a good 60-pound weight difference. They groomed, slept, and played together effortlessly. Even in his older age, Henry followed Cayden around like a little pup, letting Cayden soften his worries and learning to trust again.
As magical as Henry’s fairy-tale story may seem, it really is simply the result of the loving work our team takes such pride in. Without the New York team bringing Henry north from a Georgia rescue group, without the vets finding the source and solving his skin issues, without people like Allison believing in his soul, Henry could be another statistic of a dog who didn’t get a second chance. And Cayden wouldn’t know what it means to love a brother like Henry.
Giving Tuesday means so much more to us than donating to a cause. It’s a reminder to thank your local shelter and rescue staff, to learn about the lifesaving progress happening in your community, and to get inspired by stories like Henry’s. It’s an embodiment of the lives we save together every day. A second chance is what life is all about. I can’t count the number of second chances I’ve been given because someone believed in me. And now more animals than ever are being shown that we believe in them, too.
Like a dog named Dove, who needed a few chances to get back on her feet. When it comes to natural disasters, animals are some of the first affected and the last helped. Dove was one of more than a thousand animals we helped rescue from the central Texas flooding this past summer.
Most of the dogs and cats who were evacuated to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, thanks to a Wings of Rescue flight and our amazing team and supporters, were adopted immediately. But some needed more time.
Dove was one of them. Her second chance involved getting the veterinary support she needed for her heartworms, cloudy eyes, upper respiratory infection, and exposure to distemper virus –– highly contagious and often deadly. Our veterinarians did the amazing work of getting her on the road to being healthy again. But due to her exposure to distemper, she was unable to have any contact with other dogs while she healed. So she needed another chance. And that’s where foster caregivers Angie and Aaron Dinneen came in.
Getting the space and time to rest in their home as a foster pet, Dove recovered well and fully came out of her shell. She started leaning in for cuddles and even giving the sweetest, gentlest kisses. She has so much love to give. And because of these second and third chances, Angie and Aaron fell in love and adopted her. Now, her name is Pepper, and this blocky-headed girl is home at last.
The generosity shown on Giving Tuesday brought second chances to animals across the country. But the work isn't finished. Together we'll continue giving second, third, fourth, fifth chances and beyond to loving pets who simply need an advocate. It takes the efforts of everyone working in shelters, rescue groups, veterinary clinics, volunteers, foster caregivers, adopters, and everyone in between.
I feel lucky to know that you take this just as seriously as I do. That you love and believe in these animals as much as I do. And you are showing me how it's done –– every day of the week, 365 days a year.
-Julie
