Bringing home a new pet is incredibly exciting. And adopting a pet from a shelter or rescue group is not only exciting, it’s truly a feel-good experience. Every day, dogs and cats are killed in America’s shelters simply because they don’t have safe places to call home. This is a great benefit of adopting a pet, feeling good knowing that you truly did save a life. Adopting pets has become more and more popular and accessible, and there are now many different ways to find the right adoptable pet for your family.
One man in China learned this first had after he adopted a Golden Retriever who had been abandoned. After bringing him home from the shelter, he soon discovered that every rescue animal has its unique quirks. When the dog was first brought home, everything seemed fine. He settled into the family home. And everyone was happy that the dog was so playful and loving – just like they had wanted. In short, it was a perfect pairing. However, the dog did start to display some behaviors that were nothing short of strange. Each night, as the husband and wife were settling down for bed, their new dog would stand up on his hind legs and stare at them from beyond the gate that separated him and the bedroom.
He would just stand there and watch them until they fell asleep. Most of us reading this would probably agree that it’s really weird and a bit creepy – like should-we-get-the-holy-water kind of creepy. At first, the family just brushed it off as the dog didn’t get enough exercise throughout the day and just had some pent up energy. They made an effort to make sure they were giving their dog adequate exercise, however, every night, the strange behavior continued. The new owner began to get concerned, so he returned to the shelter to ask the staff if there was any way to find out about the dog’s past – perhaps it would help him better understand his new dog’s odd behavior.
The shelter was able to oblige, and the man soon discovered that his dog’s previous owners had surrendered the dog after they found out they were expecting a baby. However, there was an even more tragic twist – the previous owner had removed the dog from the home in the middle of the night, bringing him straight to the shelter and leaving him there. The employees of the shelter were left to assume that perhaps the dog’s nightly vigil was out of fear he’d be abandoned at night again. Naturally, the new owner was heartbroken to hear that his new dog had faced such a shocking sadness in his life. As soon as he got home, he immediately removed the barrier and invited the dog to join him and his wife for bed, hoping to ease his fears of abandonment.
