Adopter Name

Clarissa

Rescue Dog’s Name

Scout

Where Did You Find Your Dog?

I found Scout on a rainy day in Okinawa. To be honest, I had decided not to run that day because it was overcast and I was lazy. But I got so distracted while driving that I ended up near the running trail anyway so I decided, why not? Half way through my run it began to rain and I realized I’d have to walk back to my vehicle. It wasn’t any sooner that I turned to my left and saw something moving in a nearby ditch. So I ran towards it and realized it was a dog. He was covered in mud, wet, and had fur so tangled up I couldn’t tell what he really was at first. But most of all, he was dragging his back leg behind him, trying to run away. I couldn’t help it, I ran over to him and scooped him up in my arms. He went, willingly, and giving kisses along the way.

Tell Us About the Moment When You Knew that You Two Were Meant for Each Other.

I loved him from the moment I saw him, really. Some odd force brought us together that day. But it wasn’t until his 3rd vet visit, a couple of days after his hip surgery that someone at the vet came over to me and said ”I can’t wait to have someone look at me the way that dog looks at you.” As he was walking out of the back room, he saw me and both of our faces lit up, he ran to me and took a seat right on my lap. He hasn’t taken his eyes off me since then. And I never want him to. He is my pride and joy.

How Has Your Hero Changed Your Life?

Before Scout I had many rescues but something about him struck me and stayed with me. The day he found me he had every reason to run away, but instead he jumped into my arms. The day I picked him up at the vet, he had even more reason to hate me, this human took him off the streets and into a stranger’s office where they put him to sleep and performed some sort of weird voodoo surgery – but instead he saw me and ran to me. The following days at home, he had to be confined but everyday he embraced me with that same warm smile, like nothing was wrong at all. It’s 4 months later and he still wakes up every morning with a smile, goes to sleep with a smile. He’s taught me about perspective, he’s taught me to look at the bad things in life differently and to always look for the good – even if it is just staring at his smiling face at the end of the day. Some days it’s still hard for him, he has trouble walking, he becomes anxious around humans and other dogs but it’s the little victories in life that matter most, that’s what he’s taught me.