I am home

If I may, I would like to indulge my fair readers for a short time.

In the world of rescues there are a number of days, dates and occasions which mean an awful lot to many. The saddest of these occasions is our time to pass over the Rainbow Bridge. With our job on earth being completed, we take the longest journey to the everlasting meadow. I’ve no intention of making any such journey any time soon.

Another is our birthday and this is a day of joy and happiness for all involved. Sadly my birthday isnt until May so I have too long to wait.

The third, and the one which affects me today, is called a Gotcha Day. It is the day we officially allow our humans to adopt us, look after us, look out for us and generally become minions for our every need and whim. I came to my forever home on 19th December 2013.

I strolled into the house sometime late in the morning, through the cold sleet. I had no idea what to expect when I arrived but all I knew was that it was very different from a kennel and that these people, who’s house I now owned, had been to see me three times in the rescue centre and had said good things about me. The log fire was burning, there were strange decorations on a green tree in the corner of the room and there was a crate in the dining room. And it had a bed in the crate along with a bed in the living room and another in the study. Within days I was celebrating Christmas and getting two or three walks a day to explore the local area.

Once I had realised that I had stability and routine after some eighteen months, I began to settle in and saw my pawrents as forever. We had worked with each other to overcome my anxiety and confusion at the lack of stability. We were going to reap the rewards by taking long walks through muddy fields, large muddy puddles, across farms, through more muddy fields and even flooded local lanes. I enjoyed it anyway.

I have explored Surrey, Sussex, Dorset, the Lake District, Yorkshire, the Chilterns and even been to Essex for the day. I’ve had dozens of trip on the London Underground and even been to London itself on numerous occasions. I would never have done any of this if I had not chosen my pawrents that fateful day. This year I have allowed my little brother Lenny to join the family and I think I am supposed to have grown wiser. I’m not so sure.

Therefore a Gotcha Day is an important date in most rescued animals lives. It’s the day we hopefully get the stability and routine we need. It’s the day we see the love, friendship and lifelong companionship with our pawrents start and then blossom. I have so many friends that my life is happy and fulfilled.

It’s the day we get to say “I have a home and it’s forever”. It’s the best day.