Saturday, August 17, 2013

Luke is Home

Luke resting with a small portion of his toy pile and shredded papers.
We weren't going to do a post today but we have an exciting story we want to share.

Luke arrived unexpectedly for a weekend and stayed for 5 weeks.  It has been a time of mixed emotions.  He's been cute, he liked to cuddle (for half a second), he's been fun, he's been a pain in the butt, he's kept Jan busy cleaning up after him, he's been destructive ....

He was found early one Saturday morning playing in the street.  A concerned man rescued him and when he couldn't find an owner, a neighbor suggested Jan.  She accepted Luke rather than let him run loose and be hit by a car.

Jan couldn't locate an owner either.  He seemed to be just another young animal abandoned in this area. So she borrowed a crate from the local Humane Society.  A few days later she contacted  an out of area rescue coordinator who found a rescue to accept him.  The rescue located a foster. But transportation didn't come together.

Meanwhile, he needed to be vetted. Enter Mark the gruff Texas rescuer with a soft heart.  This Thursday, thanks to another ride from kind neighbor, Luke had his boosters and rabies vaccination, etc. 

Friday morning, Luke was alone in the back pen when he ran for the gate and stared, tail wagging.  Jan couldn't see whoever was passing.  A few hours later there was a knock at the door.

Luke's family had only had him for a few days when he went out to do his business and disappeared.  A neighbor told him about the woman walking the dog around the neighborhood trying to find an owner, but he'd lost the phone number and couldn't remember where Jan lived.  They had given up hope of ever seeing him again.

Until Friday when they just happened to be walking by and saw Luke in the back yard.  He sure looked like their puppy, although quite a bit bigger.  (Luke is a bassett hound mix and he has grown!) So the man and his oldest son came over to ask about the dog.

After a lot of questions to be sure this wasn't a hoax, Jan brought Luke outside.  He was so excited to see the guy, he peed on the porch.  And when the guy's mother (Luke had been a gift to her) came walking across the street, Luke took off to greet her.   Later the man came back to return our leash and introduced Jan to his wife and two younger children.  They were all thrilled to have their puppy back.

As you can guess, his name is not Luke.  Jan gave him that name for his medical records.  She thought he was lucky to be rescued but she didn't think Lucky suited him.  Luke did and he answered to it from the first.  When she looked it up recently, Luke means Light and a nickname is Lucky.  He will always be Luke to us.

And Jan finally understood why Luke was still here after five weeks.  So he could go home!

There are several people who helped with Luke in one way or another: Kay, Chief Greathouse, ACO Bobby, Peggy, Connie, Mark, Cindy, Pat, the rescue and foster who were willing to take him in (Luke going home opens a spot for another dog in need).  Did we leave out anyone?  Oh, yes, Mr. Doug.  He took Jan to the store today to buy another bag of Puppy Chow. 

We should all sleep well tonight!  Luke has been harassing all of us old fogies to play with him.  It will be nice to not be barked at or have our ears pulled.  On the other hand, it's going to be too quiet around here for a while.  We've kinda gotten attached to the little monster. Guess we'll miss him.  sniff ... sniff ... Anyone have a tissue handy?

PS - If you haven't read this week's Mousebreath interview, you'll find the link in yesterday's post.

PPS - Our giveaway ends at midnight tonight.  Anyone in the US, UK and Canada can enter.


20 comments:

  1. Oh what a wonderful story!! And I bet they'll let you visit! Miss Jan, you are such a lovely person for helping sweet Luke.

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  2. Yes ~ in life, things happen for a reason. We cannot always see it, or understand it at the time ... but it is often clear long after.
    It is good you and your good heart were there for Luke just when he needed you.

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  3. What a terrific "ending" to this adventure. We're so glad "Luke" has been reunited with his family and hope he doesn't escape ever again!

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  4. Great story! Cute doggie, too!

    Nikita and Elvira

    The Opinionated Pussycat
    http://www.opinionatedpussycat.com

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  5. What a PERFECT end to a super story. THIS is just fabulous!!!

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  6. This is wonderful sweet news! I loved reading it. Sometimes things come together and when they do, it's celebration time.

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  7. I sure am happy that everything worked out for cutie Luke!

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  8. yay! how lovely!! i love a happy ending, and this is one of the happiest! thanks for "being there", jan!

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  9. What a fabulous way for this story to come to it's rightful ending! Yay for Luke!!

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  10. How awesome that Luke's family found him - at your place!

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  11. WOW...this is another one of those "things happened the way they were meant to happen" stories. Everything led to Luke being put on the pathway home. You're right....sniff, sniff!

    :)

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  12. Aw, yay for Luke being reunited with his people! I hope they keep him safely leashed from now on so this doesn't happen again!

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  13. That is a lovely happy ending to Luke's story. He was lucky to have you take care of him until his family found him again.

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  14. OH! We are so, so happy that Luke and his family have been reunited! Thank you to Jan -- and all of you -- for taking such good care of him while he was with you. And to everyone who helped Luke during that time, too. Enjoy that good night's sleep. And we would give you some tissue, but we used it all on the happy tears we shed reading your post! :)

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  15. Yay! We're so happy Luke has been reunited with his family! Thank you for trying to find his family and taking such good care of him so he would be in the right place at the right time for them to find him. We love happy endings like this.

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  16. We lubs stories with happy endings! The family is lucky you all took care of Luke until they could come find him.

    And you is all lucky he's gone home so you can gets some rest, MOL

    Sasha, Sami, & Saku

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  17. Yea, for Luke!!
    Snorts
    Benny & Lily

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  18. Oh that is so great that Luke has been reunited with his family! Bless your heart Jan for caring for him in this time period and for all you do to help critters! You rock Jan!

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  19. I am glad you made the choice to post this, even though I am late to read it. Such a beautiful story!

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  20. YAY that Luke´s owner found him at your place :)
    XOXO

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