If you have a dog then you probably know what unconditional love is. I say that because I have no kids yet. My dog Lainey was a rescue. It may sound cliché, but rescue dogs really do choose you in a way.
As I entered the shelter, I wanted a male dog, medium in size; I had it all figured out. I went to this rescue shelter almost every day for a month. I just couldn’t choose. Every dog I chose already had paperwork in progress by another owner or just wasn’t available. One day I went in, did my rounds, and I noticed this little black dog with a white “T” on her chest. She was in a cage with about five other dogs and every time I walked by she was scrambling to get close to me. But the other dogs wouldn’t let her through and kept snapping at her.
I asked if I could take that dog for a walk, and I’ll never forget what followed. I put her on a leash and instantly she pranced in front of all the cages as if to say, “Ha! Look who’s gettin’ out fellas!” I knew right then and there that she chose me. I’ve never had a dog make me laugh as hard as Lainey.
Animals have instincts just like humans—instincts to protect their family. Even if they have been treated horribly in the past, most animals with the right amount of love and patience will start to trust again. Once you earn their trust many will take a bullet for you without thinking twice.
At risk of appearing like I’m pandering to the popularity of adorable animal clips out there on the web, allow me to start your weekend with five incredible news stories of dogs protecting their owners. Not all of these stories end well (I will need to know where to send my therapy bill for those videos I watched), but they all share incredible stories that show what unconditional devotion from an animal looks like.
1) Yolanda is a guide dog. She not only woke up her owner to warn her of intruders in her house, but she shut the door to her room to keep her safe, chased the intruders out, and hit the emergency button that sent the police to her home.
2) Pit bulls get a bad wrap by a lot of people. Lily the pit bull, however, sacrificed her legs when she took the brunt of a train that would have killed her unconscious owner.
3) Killian the black lab warned his family that the babysitter was being abusive toward their baby.
4) Duncan the boxer was abused for the first part of his life before Scott rescued him from a shelter. Duncan later returned the favor, rescuing Scott during a house fire.
5) This dog Kilo took a bullet in the head for his owners after a home invasion.
Now, doesn’t a visit to the local dog shelter sound like a good way to spend your day?
And today we celebrate...