Everyone has a story to tell, even animals. The story of a special new addition to my life and Adrienne’s begins the morning I discovered a possum sound asleep in my outdoor recycling bin.
Actually, the possum was undoubtedly exhausted because after jumping in to lick the remains of some Fancy Feast cat food, he (she?) could not get out. (Check out the scraping along the sides of the bin.) Because I couldn’t tell for sure if the possum was sleeping or dead, I called Greenbelt Animal Control. Within 30 minutes, Nellie, the Animal Control officer, showed up, determined the critter was just sleeping and carried the bin to the woods in back of my court. Three days later, during the annual Greenbelt Labor Day Parade, Nellie — driving the Animal Control Van — recognized me along the parade route.
“Hey! I remember you,” said Nellie. She then pointed to a dog strapped in the passenger seat, and said, “He’s up for adoption!”
I yelled to Adrienne and she ran over to the passenger side of the van. “Oh, you’re such a handsome boy,” she exclaimed.
Kismet.
Meet Jake:
Like the possum, Jake had been trapped, except Jake had been trapped in a neglectful home with owners who eventually abandoned him. After first meeting him and then visiting him at the Animal Control shelter, Adrienne said, “He’s so sad.” Nellie told us that Jake had been at the shelter for a couple of weeks, and she had never heard him bark.
Well, he’s barking now. Last weekend, Adrienne signed Jake’s official adoption papers, and Jake now has a new home.
Jake is about five years old, LOVES to go on walks, and has already lost several of the pounds he needed to lose. He has fit into our lives like a favorite pair of shoes — you know, the most comfortable ones. He does look comfortably at home, no? By the way, the one adjective everyone uses when they meet him is, “sweet.” He is, indeed, the sweetest boy, and we’re very grateful.
More details about Jake’s back story: I did not post anything about him on Facebook because Jake was found abandoned not far from where I live and a few of my Facebook friends live in Greenbelt. Nellie believes that the stepfather of the owner of Jake (who was originally called, “Reno” — yuk!) abandoned Jake because his stepson didn’t take care of him because he didn’t have the money (a drug problem? who knows?). Just kind of sad all around, and you could see the sadness in Jake’s eyes when we first met him. Adrienne is Jake’s primary caregiver — living at her house. I am Aunt Sharon, walking him at lunchtime, etc. He’s a very, very sweet boy.
I’ve known a few labs, and they’ve all loved to take walks. Jake might enjoy accompanying you on your morning adventures, too. He looks like a wonderful new friend. Congrats to you and Adrienne.
Thanks, David. My morning adventures take me about 3.5 miles out and back — I’m not sure Jake is up to that yet, but I would love to see his response to cows!
Jake is a lab mix — there may be a little Chow in him, and based on the fur on his back, there may be a bit of Chesapeake Bay Retriever in him.
We pondered a lot of names for Jake. Adrienne originally thought, “Finn” as in “Huckleberry Finn.” But then we thought he needed to have a separate identity from her beloved blue tick coonhound, Huck. I wanted to give him a name more noble than “Reno” and wondered about “King.” Adrienne liked “Prince” better, but then thought he looked like a “Jack.” I didn’t particularly like the name, “Jack” (personal reasons), so we landed on “Jake.” I looked up its meaning and it is short for “Jacob.” “Jacob” was a patriarch in the Old Testament. His father was Isaac (the name of one of my beloved catties) and he supposedly died when he was 147. I don’t know what that is in dog years.
Congratulations Aunt Sharon. You now have a sweet walking companion. Can’t wait to meet him. Amazing how the universe arranges these things.
Charlotte — I do enjoy walking him. I can’t use the walking sticks because they tend to scare dogs, but Jake’s slow deliberate pace isn’t taxing on my arthritic knees. I can’t wait for you to meet him, too.
These photos don’t show how overweight Jake was. He has lost weight, since he was at the shelter and with me. He still has more to lose. And as Sharon mentioned he loves his walks.
I think the original owner cared for him; he was trained well. The story is that the stepfather didn’t like him, leaving him outside most of the time. He has tested positive for Lyme disease, but we are hoping medication will clear that up.
Very sweet, but is also starting to show his silly side. And of course, I encourage that.
Of course you encourage his silly side, Adrienne. You encourage mine!
I am SOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!
Jake is the perfect name and could not have a better home!!
Thank you both for taking in this gift of love . I look forward to seeing more pictures and reading more stories.
BIG HUGS TO YOU ALL!!!!!
You put a smile on my face today!!! Welcome Jake!!!
YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING!!!
I can’t really tell, Dawna, but are you excited about Jake?
(Just kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Such good news! Someone new to love, and I know you two have lots of love to give. Congratulations and bless you, Adrienne, for adopting a rescue dog. He’s a lucky boy.
Wendy: Jake is indeed a lucky boy to share a home with Adrienne, the dog whisperer.💜
I just read your blog and am so touched by your new pal, Jake. Jake is beautiful and very lucky to have found you and Adrienne. I can’t wait to hear more about him. I hope he is getting along nicely with the catties. Please post more pictures. xoxoxo
Uh . . . the catties . . . uh, Merrie Lee . . . Jem, my male cattie, met Jake through a screened window (Jake was outside on my deck) and Jem wouldn’t stop hissing. Soooooo — I don’t think Jem will be getting along nicely with Jake at time soon, or even at all.
Thanks for your well wishes, though! xoxo
He is gorgeous! What a beautiful dog, and such a serendipitous entry into your lives. Maybe “sweet” attracts “sweet.” I suspect, Sharon, that you would probably protest the epithet “sweet” attached to your name–“sweet Sharon,” though you might not object to it’s being attached to Adrienne’s name. But, fact is, you have a very loving heart and your love and sweet care of animals is undeniable. I like to think that’s somehow all tied up in how Jake came into your lives. And I love that he’s becoming mischievous–have you given him a ladder yet? He just might try to climb!
Ah, shucks, Carol. Thank you. I don’t think of myself as “sweet” in the least, but Nellie texted me a couple of times and called me sweet. I sent an email to the Greenbelt Police Captain who hired her, thanking him for hiring such a kind professional. The Captain showed her the letter. He, needless to say, sent me a sweet email in return.
Yippee! A new dog pal! I can’t wait to meet him. You’ve spoiled him already. I’m not showing our dog, Diesel, the pictures, because I don’t ever want him to know that other dogs are allowed on the furniture! Lucky dog! Pretty sure Diesel would move in with Adrienne, too, if he could find his way to her house!
We love, love, love Diesel, Beth. A very sweet dog, too.
As hard as Adrienne (and me, when I was at her house) tried to keep Jake off of her couch, she had no luck. When she’s gone during the day, and I’m not there, he just makes himself at home. It was Huck’s perch, too. Fortunately, she has successfully kept Jake from perching atop her bed. Can’t wait for you to meet him someday.