Bringing Bunny home for a tryout

Pardon me if today’s blog is a little disjointed.

I have another new friend. Her name is Bunny.

Here’s the story:

This week is one year since I found Buddy on U.S. 41 in Floral City. I brought him home, adopted him, and he was my joy until his tragic passing just six months later.

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Readers know how hard his death hit me. I heard from so many pet owners who have experienced similar grief, and I received great advice on how to get through it.

For one, I kept Buddy’s crate and beds in place. I knew if the day eventually came when a Buddy II would come along, I wanted my home set up and ready.

I guess that situation presented itself Wednesday.

As this week approached, I knew it was either time for another dog or move on from that chapter in my life. Remember Buddy wasn’t planned; he just showed up on the road. That was a 3-second decision to stop the car for him.

My time with Buddy made me realize how much I enjoyed the companionship, especially in my work-at-home business. 

So, I put the word out to certain animal-loving friends that I was interested in a Buddy II. I may have found him.

Or her.

Someone told me of a stray at the Citrus County Animal Shelter that bore a resemblance to Buddy. I went over there Wednesday, asked to see this particular dog, and fell hard right away. There was a gentleness and curiosity about her. I tend to attract mutts. She seemed a little too perfect for me.

But then they told me the dog tested positive for heartworm, and my Buddy fears came back in a rush. Buddy’s passing was heartworm-related. Could I go through all that medical stuff with a new dog once again?

My first thought was no. I drove away, telling the pup I’d be back if no one rescued her in the next few days. She watched as I walked away.

Then I drove to Floral City to take a picture of a sign. I couldn’t get that dog out of my mind. I went over it in my head. The medications, the doggy discomfort, the uncertainty of her health. But, that face! Those eyes. I knew I was headed back to the shelter.

They have a program called Slumber Party. Basically, I’m fostering the dog for up to two weeks to see if it all works out. If not, I return her to the shelter.

I totally get the concept, but I just couldn't see myself doing that. Return a dog to the shelter? That’s the last thing I’d want to do. That’s not the way shelter workers see it.

Slumber Party actually leads to more successful adoptions. For one, it doesn’t seem so final when someone brings a dog home for a Slumber Party than an actual adoption. Often, during those two weeks, foster parents and critters bond.

Returning a dog to the shelter gives workers more information about its behaviors. Remember that many dogs at the shelter are strays. Shelter workers and volunteers glean as much as they can with their interactions, but nothing compares to a dog’s experience in a home.

Plus, dogs enjoy a vacation like we do. Shelter workers say the returned dogs are happier and in good spirits.

That makes me a foster dad. Technically, Citrus County is still the owner of my new best friend. We’ll know soon if we’re a good fit.

A few observations:

 — She weighs about the same as Buddy (mid-to-upper 30s), but not in bulk.

— Age-wise, probably in the 2- to 4-year range. She’s playful, curious, and super friendly.

— She LOVES Buddy’s toys.

— I caught her drinking from the toilet and chewing on an old tennis shoe. Later Wednesday, I crept into the quiet bedroom to find her sound asleep on one of Buddy’s old beds that I hadn’t moved. Heart melting time.

— Her name: Bunny. Yeah, female Buddy. It’s the best I could come up with. I’m already calling her Bun for short. And she’s already resenting me for it.

I wrote a similar blog a year ago when Buddy arrived in my life. As with then, I haven’t a clue how the Bunny situation is going to work out.

Like a year ago, Wednesday was a very good day. For us both.

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