Let me introduce you to the best birthday present I ever received: Henry!
As an animal-lover, I’ve always loved going into Petsmart on Saturdays. Well, loved and hated it at the same time. You see, Saturdays are adoption days at Petsmart, which means the store is filled with adorable little critters in desperate need of a loving home. Visits to the store would play out like this:
CCK: Mom, can we please adopt a dog? Pleeeease?
Mom: Katie, we have a dog. Molly would not be happy if we forced her to share the limelight with another dog.
CCK: But otherwise they’ll go back to the shelter, and many of them will be put to sleep!
Mom: Don’t think about it; it’s too sad, and we really can’t adopt another dog. Your dad wouldn’t allow it.
About a week before my eighteenth birthday, Molly needed dog food. A trip to Petsmart was in order. And it just so happened to be a Saturday. By now, I knew not to even ask if we could adopt one of the wide-eyed, tail-wagging pups at the store. Resigned to my one-dog life, I silently cuddled with an especially-spunky puppy. So my jaw almost fell through the floor when:
Mom: Would you like to take him home?
CCK: That’s really mean. You know how much I want to save one; why would you joke about something like that?
Mom: What if I’m not joking? It’s almost your 18th birthday.
CCK: (Still not letting herself believe it.) You said Dad wouldn’t go for it. Nor Molly.
Mom: I don’t know, Katie. He’s really cute. Your dad couldn’t stay mad at a face like that for long. And I bet Molly would at least tolerate him, if not learn to love him.
And so…
It always makes me sad to see all the dogs for sale in pet shops (mostly from puppy mills). Why buy a puppy when you can rescue one as cute as Henry? It’s cheaper and you’re saving a life! Henry came from an abusive home, so he was terrified of people, animals, and especially feet when we first brought him home. In fact, it was months before we even knew he could bark. But the poor (well, not anymore) guy has come a long way. Nowadays, he is the ultimate lap dog, ad you can’t stop him from giving you kisses!
The best birthday present I received was the day before my 30th birthday I found out my husband and I were expecting our little girl. 3 years later, life has never been the same 🙂 and getting news like that hours before the big 3-0 bday was something I will never forget. All my other presents pale in comparison to the point I can’t even remember them. Usually days/weeks after the holiday, I don’t remember the gift, just the special times I had with friends/fam. Truly, it’s not about the gifts. Enjoy your Sunday chica!
Aw, how sweet about Henry. I totally agree with you that adopting is the only way to go – if you have room in your life for a pet and don’t adopt, you’re basically sentencing a shelter animal to death! I just adopted my two little ratties, and I’m so excited to have them! They’re both a little older, and pretty under socialized, but they’re slowly warming up to me! 🙂
-Eve
Henry is adorable. I’d really like to adopt a dog someday! I keep researching poodle rescues (my family has a standard poodle) and dreaming. 🙂
My best birthday present ever was my cat! Actually, I received both of my cats for birthdays. One when I was just 10 (she was a kitten … oh the scratches as we grew up together), and the wonderful cat we have now when I was … um, well, older. We have had her for nine years as of October and she is still the most wonderful, cuddly cat ever.
Henry is so cute. Look at the blue-green colour of his eyes! I love pets, they’re much more easier to handle than children.
I had a cat not long ago, but my dad threw him away while I was in China. :'(
Aww, this is such a sweet post! I don’t really know what my best birthday present ever was. I do really love my bike that I got for my birthday, maybe that’s my favorite. I don’t know how anyone can buy instead of adopt, when so many dogs need homes. We rescued our dog Rowdy from the pound on a day that they had to “get rid” of a lot of dogs, and I’m sooooo glad we adopted him. He’s so sweet, and he’s the best cuddle buddy ever!
I always wanted a pooch but my sister is allergic.. I begged my mom to just get rid of my sis but for some reason she wouldn’t allow it, so strange! 😉
Henry is such a blessing <3!
What a great story!!! The first year the fiance and I were together, I had just moved into a new apartment, and he noticed that I didn’t have a decent television… so he surprised me and went out and got me a new one! It was more the thoughtfulness than the TV that was great…but the TV was nice too!
What a sweet story! Henry is beautiful 🙂
My best present was when my bf came to my house. He drove for 8 hours in a bus just to be with me for a few hours. My cat was injured, I was so sad on my 18 bday, and he was all I needed.
p.s. my cat died the day after 🙁