Sligo and Halo
It was February, 2016 and we were very lonely at home. We had lost our beloved Shakespeare on Thanksgiving 2015 and our beloved Angel in 2013. There was no barking in the house, no insulin shots to be given, no meds to be administered, no tails wagging and most importantly, no doggie love and kisses in the household. This was not something my husband and I were used to. The emptiness was consuming us and it was time to find a pair of dogs who were meant to be with us and receive the oodles of love we had inside just waiting to let loose. We craved that love that only a dog can give. Along came a post on FB from Sweet Paws! I couldn't believe it, two bonded dogs looking for the perfect home were staring right back at me from my laptop. Their eyes spoke to me right away and in my heart I could simultaneously hear Angel and Shakes saying "Mommy & Daddy, you need them and they need you, it's okay, we want you to share the love." I needed their approval and I know with all my heart that they had given it. Sligo (formerly Max) and Halo (formerly Teddy) were almost one-year-old, bonded siblings. Their mother had been a stray and these two precious ones had been long-term fostered in a very loving home in Alabama. Although they loved the family they were with, it was time for a forever home. I loved them sooooo much already without having yet met them.
It was adoption day! Our dreams were about to come true. The anticipation gave me butterflies in my stomach and as my husband and I pulled up in front of the building, we were shaking - would they love us right away or would it take a while? They were meant to be with us, I had no doubt. Our family would be complete again.
All of the other dogs had run out to their new families with tails wagging and kisses galore. Our two came out with their tails between their legs and were stuck together like glue. They wouldn't take a treat in the car but relaxed a little for the ride home. I have to be honest, it took a while before they came out of their shells and I was determined to make them feel as loved as they deserved to be and to improve their confidence, while also exercising patience. There wasn't a time where they were even in different rooms from one another for more than a minute.
Fast forward one month and our hard work had paid off. Sligo and Halo knew this was their forever home and family. They had even accepted that our cat Fresca was no threat and part of the family. They have given us no less than a million kisses and love to fly around the yard, chase squirrels, chipmunks and bunnies, play "rough" together, jump in their pool, go for daily rides and love their walks. It's been nothing but unconditional love and fun. The expression of love they have in their eyes 24 hours a day is like nothing I have ever seen. They are our WORLD and we are theirs, and we would have it no other way. We have been given a gift, and it is the best gift I could ever imagine. It's a gift we don't take for granted.
My gratitude for Sweet Paws is enormous. As the logo says, "Saving People One Dog at a Time" is the story of us, only it's two dogs at a time! Now I am part of the Sweet Paws Team of volunteers and it is the most rewarding way to spend my time- helping pups as they enter their new lives. Myself, Mark, Sligo and Halo wouldn't be a complete family without the Sweet Paws Intervention :)
-Cheryl F