Our Eskimo Dog Miracle
The word “miracle” may be stretching it a bit, but I do believe that sometimes things happen for a reason. My wife, Joan, and I will have been married for 25 years this coming December, and our household has always been exclusively shared with cats. Although I have always been very fond of dogs, the same cannot be said for Joan. Throughout those years I’ve heard Joan say things like “dogs are gross,” “I hate dogs” and “I’d never own a dog.” The message has been consistent and clear.
Then, in late May, the news story aired about the puppy mill rescue operation in Kennewick and the images of the 371 American Eskimo Dogs found there in hideously poor conditions. It was a horrible and heart-wrenching sight, and both Joan and I were deeply moved. Joan in particular seemed touched and said, “I have to have one of those dogs.” I disregarded the statement as a hormone-induced mood swing.
Then, in the days that followed I noticed that Joan was actively following the story on the internet because she knew all the places where the dogs had been moved to be sheltered. Odd behavior, indeed, but it was nothing compared to my shock when I learned that she and a friend had made plans to travel to the Oregon Humane Society of the day the first lot of dogs was being made available for adoption. At this point I am beginning to think “OK, who are you and what have you done with my wife?”
That afternoon, Joan came home with a small, frightened little pup, fur yellowed from living in urine and feces and teeth rotting from being fed things I will not describe here. Joan told me about being about the 50th person in line, and finally being led into a room full of kennels with these dogs, and how she wondered how she would ever choose one. She searched the cages, and finally one of the dogs made one small step toward her. She looked at the information on the door so she could let the handlers know which dog she was interested in, and hers was not there! The easiest thing to do would have been to just choose another, but there was something about this dog that had Joan by the heart strings. She approached one of the volunteers, and the attendant discovered that her paperwork had mistakenly not been brought out with the rest. It was like somehow destiny had conspired to prevent anyone else from choosing the dog she was meant to have. Together, we chose the name “Kaya”, an Eskimo word meaning “Stay and don’t go back.”
During the next couple hours that Joan was allowed to spend time with the pup, the two bonded like glue. This little miracle dog, fearful, malnourished and lost, had done what I had always presumed impossible: turn my wife into a dog lover. Over the next couple weeks the two became inseparable. I’m honestly not sure which benefited more, my wife or Kaya, but the incredible transformation in them both can best be described through images, and I encourage anyone who has the time to view “Kaya’s Road Trip Video” on her web site at http://home.comcast.net/~kayarescued09/photos.htm.
Given the impact Kaya had on our family, I was not surprised when, in July, Joan suggested that we rescue a second Kennewick Eskimo Dog as a companion for Kaya. She again searched the Internet, and found a male the same age as Kaya through the Oregon Dog Rescue Organization. This time it was me that drove to Portland to meet the dog who became our newest family member. On July 14, we welcomed “Ramzi” into our pack. Although his journey through adjustment is just beginning, we can already see that he will make our new family complete.
The word “miracle” may be stretching it a bit, but I do believe that sometimes things happen for a reason. My wife, Joan, and I will have been married for 25 years this coming December, and our household has always been exclusively shared with cats.
Although I have always been very fond of dogs, the same cannot be said for Joan. Throughout those years I’ve heard Joan say things like “dogs are gross,” “I hate dogs” and “I’d never own a dog.” The message has been consistent and clear.
Then, in late May, the news story aired about the puppy mill rescue operation in Kennewick and the images of the 371 American Eskimo Dogs found there in hideously poor conditions. It was a horrible and heart-wrenching sight, and both Joan and I were deeply moved. Joan in particular seemed touched and said, “I have to have one of those dogs.” I disregarded the statement as a hormone-induced mood swing.
Then, in the days that followed I noticed that Joan was actively following the story on the internet because she knew all the places where the dogs had been moved to be sheltered. Odd behavior, indeed, but it was nothing compared to my shock when I learned that she and a friend had made plans to travel to the Oregon Humane Society of the day the first lot of dogs was being made available for adoption. At this point I am beginning to think “OK, who are you and what have you done with my wife?”
That afternoon, Joan came home with a small, frightened little pup, fur yellowed from living in urine and feces and teeth rotting from being fed things I will not describe here. Joan told me about being about the 50th person in line, and finally being led into a room full of kennels with these dogs, and how she wondered how she would ever choose one. She searched the cages, and finally one of the dogs made one small step toward her. She looked at the information on the door so she could let the handlers know which dog she was interested in, and hers was not there! The easiest thing to do would have been to just choose another, but there was something about this dog that had Joan by the heart strings. She approached one of the volunteers, and the attendant discovered that her paperwork had mistakenly not been brought out with the rest. It was like somehow destiny had conspired to prevent anyone else from choosing the dog she was meant to have. Together, we chose the name “Kaya”, an Eskimo word meaning “Stay and don’t go back.”
During the next couple hours that Joan was allowed to spend time with the pup, the two bonded like glue. This little miracle dog, fearful, malnourished and lost, had done what I had always presumed impossible: turn my wife into a dog lover. Over the next couple weeks the two became inseparable. I’m honestly not sure which benefited more, my wife or Kaya, but the incredible transformation in them both can best be described through images, and I encourage anyone who has the time to view “Kaya’s Road Trip Video” on her web site at http://home.comcast.net/~kayarescued09/photos.htm.
Given the impact Kaya had on our family, I was not surprised when, in July, Joan suggested that we rescue a second Kennewick Eskimo Dog as a companion for Kaya. She again searched the Internet, and found a male the same age as Kaya through Oregon Dog Rescue. This time it was me that drove to Portland to meet the dog who became our newest family member. On July 14, we welcomed “Ramzi” into our pack. Although his journey through adjustment is just beginning, we can already see that he will make our new family complete.
Oregon Dog Rescue is Olive Heroes’ Featured Rescue of the Month. Please shop at our shopping partner and/or donate directly to this wonderful organization.
We also applaud the efforts of Oregon Humane Society. Their program is one of the very best in the country.
