When Thomas left the shelter for his Doggy Day Out, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
The first person he met that morning was my adopted adult son, Matt. Matt has intellectual disabilities and has always struggled a little with getting close to dogs. Many dogs make him nervous, and he is often unsure how to interact with them.
But Thomas seemed to know something we didn’t.
From the moment they met, Thomas was drawn to Matt. No matter where Matt stood, Thomas would quietly make his way over to him. He nudged him gently with his nose, leaned against him, and seemed determined to offer affection. There was something incredibly sweet about watching this shelter dog choose the person who needed him most.
When it was time to leave, Thomas faced another challenge. My vehicle sits fairly high off the ground, and he didn’t seem to know how to jump into a car. I lifted his front paws onto the floorboard, and then he carefully worked out the rest for himself, slowly climbing inside.
At first, Thomas settled on the floor behind the front seat. But when Matt sat down in the back seat, Thomas made another choice.
He climbed up onto the seat beside him.
The two sat together as we drove away from the shelter. Thomas wore a dog seat belt for safety and quickly settled into the ride. He stretched out quietly next to Matt, watching the world go by through the windows. Every now and then he would glance toward Matt as if checking to make sure his new friend was still there.
Thomas found his forever home thanks to a Facebook post about his Doggy Day Out! Maybe you want to take a shelter dog out for an hour or two? Contact us at info@fotasaiken.org.
Our destination was Hitchcock Woods.
The moment Thomas stepped out of the vehicle, his nose went to work. There were so many new scents to explore. Every path held a new adventure. Every breeze carried information he was eager to investigate.
Along the trail, Thomas met hikers and politely greeted them. He spotted a horse and was fascinated by the giant creature. He tried pulling toward it for a closer look, but I reminded him to stay with me. A little later, a squirrel darted across our path. Thomas immediately wanted to give chase, but when I told him, “No, leave it,” he listened and stayed by my side.
For a shelter dog experiencing so many new things, Thomas handled everything remarkably well.
What stood out most wasn’t his curiosity or even his good behavior.
It was his heart.
Again and again throughout the day, Thomas showed us that he longs for connection. Whether it was resting quietly beside Matt in the car, checking in with me on the trail, or greeting strangers with gentle interest, Thomas seemed happiest when he was simply sharing life with people.
Some dogs spend their Doggy Day Out racing from adventure to adventure.
Thomas spent his showing us who he is.
A loyal companion. A gentle soul. A dog who chooses people.
Watching him with Matt was my favorite part of the day. A shelter dog and a young man who are both sometimes misunderstood found comfort in each other’s company without needing words.
Their Lives Are In Our Hands.
by Lisa Gaudet, Animal Adoption Assistant