Our Golden Treasure
 

     One year, two months, and eleven days have passed since I sent my husband in search of a stray cat we had previously taken in. I am an elementary school teacher in a rural area in Pennsylvania. Many stray cats roam the open fields near the school playground. It just so happened I brought one of the cats home to care for. After twenty-four hours in our home, the cat managed to escape one evening as we hauled in groceries. It was a Sunday night and I knew I had to return to school on Monday. I made my husband promise to check at the local shelter Monday morning.
     He arrived at the shelter and was disappointed not to find a trace of the stray cat. After leaving our name and telephone number, my husband decided to tour the kennels. He walked from pen to pen when he came upon "Trucky" in pen #80. One friendly glance encouraged my husband to take a closer look. The Golden Retriever that had been dropped off the previous weekend welcomed my husband's kind greeting. He was barking at the top of his lungs and raced nervously in circles. (As I would later find out, my husband took the dog to the open yard at the SPCA to get acquainted.)
     That evening, my husband broke the news that he had been unsuccessful in locating the stray cat. However, he had other news to report from the shelter. I found myself at pen #80 twenty minutes later. My husband and I visited in the privacy room with Trucky until closing time. Trucky jumped from bench to bench frothing at the mouth from nervousness. He would not make eye contact with either one of us during the entire visit.
     When inquiring about his background, his list of infractions were plentiful. He had broken free on several occasions with his previous owner. The animal warden picked him up on two occasions. That last "pick up" landed him permanently at the SPCA. He had been struck by a car and had a femoral resection to correct the injury. A shock collar had been used to deter him from entering "off limit" rooms in the home where he had lived. It was also apparent to us by his cowering motions that he had been struck in the face repeatedly to perhaps correct behavior outbursts.
     I was extremely apprehensive about bringing Trucky into our home. My husband and I agreed to take a full night to discuss the possibility of adoption. We have a loving four year Golden Retriever as our only pet. Austin has been with us since he was 8 weeks old and we have devoted ourselves to his care. To bring another dog into the house was surely a questionable move. However, we dismissed the negative possibilities. We returned to the shelter the next evening and followed through with the adoption.
     Tucker, as we have decided to call him, has made a remarkable transition to his new home. We allowed the dogs to be in mutual company over a gradual period of time. Austin adjusted to his new brother with each month that passed. Tucker's nervous circling and incessant barking have ceased. His callused elbows continued to heal each day, as he is no longer confined to a slab of concrete. His desire to run off at any given chance has been offset by his daily routine of exercise and swimming. He has learned to retrieve and no longer entertains himself by chewing himself free from a rope.
     Tucker is learning each day to trust us. Our hands and words are kind, quite a difference from what he was accustomed to. We have learned many valuable lessons in the year we have had him. We are all responsible for living things. All of us in some way can do our part to protect those that are otherwise defenseless. Pets add to the quality of our lives, thus Tucker has enhanced ours. We feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to give of ourselves for a new dog that gives so much in return. He is our Golden treasure.