Snafu

It was business as usual that Monday afternoon in May. I was going to Arlington Animal Services to pick up a pug for DFW Pug Rescue, bailing a four-year-old male out of jail and driving him to the rescue’s designated clinic to be examined and processed into the system. It was pouring rain, and I was the only guest in the shelter. I went to the desk and requested the dog by his identification number. At that point, it stopped being “business as usual.”

The kennel worker entered the meet and greet room with a wiggly, chubby, fawn pug, who immediately relieved herself in a corner and made it quite evident that she was a girl! She was a beautiful, older female with gray cheeks and a cute little under bite. Gender, age or condition were of no consequence since DFW Pug Rescue does not discriminate and I was just doing my job, so I proceeded to the desk and began filling out paperwork to take her for rescue. But wait! They found a microchip in her, and her stray hold had to be extended until Friday. I jotted that down on my calendar and drove home with no dog.

By this time, I had named her Snafu, and I spent the rest of the week thinking about her. I was first in line when Snafu became available that Friday afternoon, but now others were waiting to meet her, too. I must have been more smitten than I realized, because I was determined that Snafu was leaving the shelter that afternoon with me, and I was adopting her. I paced the floor, waiting for the results of her heartworm test, and my heart sank when the walkie-talkie said “positive.” Well, now she would have to go to the rescue, because I would have to save up to pay for heartworm treatment, and I didn’t want her to wait that long to get well.

I was relieved and delighted to have been offered the option of treating Snafu through a grant from PetSmart Charities and Sponsor Adoptions, Inc. At no further cost to me, the adopter, Snafu had an appointment for treatment just ten days after I adopted her, at a wonderful clinic right here in town. The veterinarians and staff are competent, professional, kind and considerate. Snafu has successfully completed her treatment and is living a happy, normal life here with her new pug brother. Thank you for helping me give Snafu the life she deserves.

– Ms. LeBoutillier