To Love and Be Loved

Over the course of my twenty-five years here on earth, I’ve had my fair share of pets. I’ve had guinea pigs, a dog, rabbits, fish, lizards. The first lasting impression I’ve had from a pet, though, was my rescue dog Kelsey. I had wanted a dog for so long and my parents wanted to fulfill that wish. They had tried to bring home a dog for me once before, and she had run away as soon as my dad opened the car door. We never saw her again. Then, a family who couldn’t take care of their dog anymore, gave him to us. That didn’t work out either as he would bite and scratch us. We ended up giving him back for obvious reasons.

So far, we hadn’t had any luck. They were doing everything they could to bring home a new furry friend for the family; it just seemed hard to at the time. Thankfully, they didn’t give up, and kept searching. We had recently moved to a new town and were living in a bigger home that would be able to accommodate whatever dog we wanted. They both checked local shelters and pet stores tirelessly to find a dog that was a perfect fit for us. One day, while I was at school, my mom and dad had gone to a rescue shelter a couple towns over. I remember my mom describing to me how she had looked at every single dog in the place and couldn’t make a decision. She and my father had then agreed to bring me on the weekend to look as well, until a dog had caught her eye; a black lab and golden retriever mix named Kelsey.

She always says the connection was instantaneous. Kelsey had been dropped off by a family who couldn’t take care of her anymore. She was seven years old with grey on her chin and eye brows. Her body was like a barrel on legs that looked like sticks. It was love at first sight. My mom knew that she was going to be our dog. They’d signed the papers, got her a check up and then put her in our van. At one point, and my mother does regret this, she nearly took her back to the shelter due to Kelsey having some rather bad gas and some bladder trouble. They ended up turning around but she changed her mind and decided to bring her home anyway. I had no idea how she was going to change my life.

Later that day, I got home from school, the weight of the world on my seven-year-old shoulders. I was more than ecstatic to walk into the kitchen and see my new best friend. She was a little timid, but let me give her a hug and kiss. I couldn’t thank my parents enough! Kelsey quickly became a big part of our lives and we doted on her as if she were a queen. She got only the finest Milk Bones, took long walks with us, and snuggled with the family before bed almost every night. She was as much a family member as the rest of us. One thing I had noticed about her right away, is that she picked up tricks very quickly. During her time at our house, she learned how to sit, give her paw, and stop and go when told. She was so smart and clever.

Kelsey also had her little habits. While we weren’t looking, she would sneak off to a bog in our neighborhood. We would go crazy looking for her only to see her walking back down the driveway, covered in bog water. The number of baths we would have to give her was astounding. I used to call for her from another room and she would always come see me. She would lie down on her side and let me use her as a pillow while I played on my Nintendo DS or read a book. She would ask for us to hold her paw when she laid down as well. Another habit she had, was sitting down on my mom’s newspaper when she wanted attention. My mom would just laugh and give her kisses. Kelsey was so loved and she gave that love right back to us.

Over the years, as we all got older, her health declined. It was incredibly hard to watch and to even understand. Not once in her failing health, did she ever lose her spark. Right up until the end, she always found ways to make us laugh or surprise us. She was my best friend and I was devastated when I lost her. I didn’t think I could ever have that relationship with another animal in my life.

Now, about fifteen years later, I do. I have a beautiful, loving, eight-year-old bearded dragon named Rasha. While our relationship isn’t totally the same, she and Kelsey have that same spark and all the love in the world to give.