Meet "Cookie"

My grandson and I visited several Humane Society Open Houses after my little dog died, hoping to find a new pet. Then I purchased a home with a nice fenced back yard with plenty of room for a dog to run. My grandson, Kaleb, who is five and I headed for the Humane Society. We picked out a dog that we thought was cute and took him outside in the fenced visitor area, but the dog was to active for me and did not come each time I called him, so we took him back inside. All the dogs were barking like crazy as if to say "Adopt me!" "NO, adopt me!" But a sweet little 9 month old, tri colored, border collie caught my eye as she sat silently looking up with her big brown eyes that spoke volumes.

We asked to take her outside. She was the sweetest little thing. She hugged us and we hugged her. She ran and played and came when she was called several times. We liked her. "Let's take her home, Mamaw." chimed Kaleb. "I like her too, let's go tell them we'll take her." I told him. But, inside we were disappointed to learn that we had to wait until the following Tuesday to pick her up. She had not been at the Humane Society long enough for us to adopt. While we stood their, another couple had their eye on our choice, waiting to see if we didn't want her. We assured all we would return for her on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, I picked up Kaleb and we headed to the Human Society just before noon. "I want to pay for her Mamaw." Kaleb insisted. The adoption fee was $50.00. "Okay." I said and gave him three crisp twenty dollar bills. Kaleb picked the name "Cookie" for our shared pet.

Arriving at the Humane Society, Kaleb elbowed his way out of the car so he could be the first inside. He marched up to the window, plunked down the crisp twenty dollar bills and said matter of fact, "I've come for my dog!" I described Cookie and gave them a collar and leashed Kaleb and I had purchased on the weekend while we waited excitedly to pick up our new friend. In a few minutes we filled out the papers and were
headed home.

 By 12:30 we had Cookie in the tub for a nice warm bath and then on to the Vet for a check up. The vet warned us to watch for parvo and sure enough by 4:30 the next morning Cookie was sick. Back to the vets we rushed her and sure enough she had parvo. I was pretty upset that I had just paid fifty dollars for a sick animal. But, the adoption papers do say you get what you get. Cookie was hospitalized and given and IV. Then we waited hoping for the best. By the next afternoon the vet called me at work and surprised me saying, "Cookie, has done so well we are taking her off IV and she can come home with some medicine this afternoon." I was elated and so was Kaleb when he came in from kindergarten to find Cookie at home. She was weak, but her tail was wagging and she was smiling.

It's been a year now and Cookie is a valued member of our family. We all love her and she loves us too. We are glad we adopted Cookie that day and got her to the vet in time to save this loving and well behaved member of our family. Just this week Cookie received a magazine in the mail from her vet reminding us it is time to come in for her shots and it reminded me of the week we adopted her at the Ross County Humane Society.

Jennifer McDonald