Adopt a friend

It has been about half a year since Sheleg died. We moved to a new place, a place where we could take a dog (the previous owner wouldn't allow pets in the house). I admit I had already gotten to the point where I thought about adopting a dog again, but somehow I just didn't go and do it. Something within me hesitated. Lately though, I kept thinking about how I also wanted to feel like I could somehow save a dog from staying in a cold and rainy cage. And now winter is here.

So we went Friday morning to an animal shelter to see who we can adopt. I already thought of two potential dogs that caught my eye on the shelter's web site, but there was this one dog there... When we came to look at those dogs in their cages, he was jumping at the bars on his own cage trying to lick us, practically crying for us to take him. So we did. Strad (short for Stradivarius), who in the animal shelter was called Momo, is really a very big chunk of fur and bones, hardly any meat on him. More than anything else he feels like a big baby, filled with love and wanting to be pampered.

The first day was hard. Not so much physically, but emotionally. The night before and the morning of the adoption, I was still thinking about Sheleg. I had guilt feelings towards him. I was thinking about his last days. And I wanted to tell him he was still in my heart though I was about to let someone new in. Also, thinking about the dogs we left behind, left me a bit torn, as at first I was contemplating of adopting even two dogs, but in the end only adopted Strad.

It's been over a month that he has been getting used to us, just as we are getting used to him. And it's a learning process we're both happy to go through. Because dogs really appreciate the love and attention you give them, and in return, they make you a better person. I truly believe that. They make you more conscious of the tone of your voice, your body language, the energy you put out there. And last but not least, they make for really close, comforting and understanding friends.

So, I thought I would use this stage to urge you to adopt yourself a very good friend - be it a cat or a dog - from the animal shelter close to you. I'm not saying you shouldn't take everything into account - as you should! You should think about having to take them out in the morning and the evening, having to feed them, clean up after them, have them checked every so often at the vet. But then there is also a reward - you'll be amazed at the amount of love you find, in yourself and in them.