on getting a new dog, but I always look at it this way: the ONLY good that comes from losing a pet is that a GOOD dog owner gets the opportunity to give another dog, who desperately needs a home, a new home..
I've told the story of Gypsie many times here.. we lost Lucie, just the most special Beagle ever, and two days later Gypsie's photo floated across my facebook page.. She was at a shelter in South Carolina - we're in Texas.. Had never head of the shelter, had no friends who had ever heard of it - there was literally NO reason that her photo should come across my page.. none whatsoever.. but her photo haunted me because I saw in her eyes the same thing I always saw in Lucie's eyes.. Gypsie was paralyzed and in horrific shape, but before I even knew she was to have ack surgery, I put in an adoption for her.. almost cause my wife and I to split up because she was hurting so bad over Lucie.. but, the thunderbolt had hit me and I KNEW I had to help Gypsie..
So, I was the only person to put in an application before they did surgery.. nobody wanted to deal with a Beagle in a cart that they'd have to express every day.. but, I didn't care.. I wanted to help her and the shelter owner (Noah's Arks Rescue) saw that and allowed me to adopt her.. luckily the surgery went well and she can walk and pee and poop to her heart's content.. we flew to Atlanta to pick her up.. she's been my little girl ever since..
After adopting Gypsie, we lost Torrie, who we had for 14 years.. crushing.. went on a nationwide search for the perfect sister for Gypsie.. after being literally SCREWED over by multiple shelters, we found our girl, Mauie, in Dallas.. she still had multiple staples in her from a coyote attack.. she ran into our house and the first thing she did was pop on the new carpet we had JUST had installed less than 24 hours earlier..
After a few months, the same shelter in South Carolina put another Beagle up for adoption.. Hatfield had been hit by a car, or beaten and his snout was broken in half, which required major surgery.. I immediately told the shelter owner I'd take him and my wife drove to Louisiana to get him..
I'm just saying all this because you'll know when the time is right.. you'll know when you see it in the eyes of a dog you immediately fall in love with.. don't feel guilty - you're not replacing your other dog, you're just giving a new dog the opportunity of having an awesome life..
Friendship is like peeing your pants.. Everybody can see it, but only you can feel the warmth..
