From commentor Cat Hair Everywhere:
Jasper came into our lives in 2000, when I went to the SPCA looking for a dog to run with me. I had an American Eskimo rescue already, and she enjoyed running with me. I wanted to get her a companion who could join us on our runs. I had originally planned to get a larger dog, but when I saw Jasper’s sweet little stripey face looking at me, I was immediately charmed. I decided to think about it overnight, and left.
__
I got about ten minutes down the road when I decided I must have him. I called the SPCA, but they were already closed. The next morning we were having a yard sale, so I couldn’t immediately return to the shelter. I was very sad when I called and discovered they would not put a dog on hold, even for two hours. My husband was out of town, and a friend was helping with the yard sale, so I couldn’t leave to run back to the shelter. We closed the sale down as quickly as we could and hurried to the shelter where I ran to Jasper’s cage, grabbed his paperwork and hurried to the front desk to pay for him.
__
He was already four or five years old when we got him, (I am one of those who believes in adopting adult animals) and, to my surprise, he turned out to be an excellent running dog. Our Eskie went to the Rainbow Bridge several years ago, and Jasper has a new friend, Mayzie. He is too old to run with me now, and he is so pitiful when I take Mayzie and not him. He doesn’t think short walks are an acceptable substitute.
__
In addition to Jasper and Mayzie, we also have four rescue cats. They all get along very well, as you can see from the picture,
where Jasper and our cat Jones are reading Balloon Juice with me.
JPL
Ah, What a sweet story. My only rescue dog was an adult and except for the separation anxiety that she experiences, she is a sweet heart.
My mutt is having a few problems adjusting to the time change. Her internal clock refuses to change times and I’m not excited about having to rise at 5:30 to take her out. ugh…
debbie
Great photo, but Balloon Juice seems to have put them to sleep.
dmsilev
Just arrived in my inbox, a contender for “Least appealing spam message of the decade”:
Free Republic? The website that makes Red State look like a haven of sane and rational intellectuals by comparison? Seriously?
dms
WereBear
Lots of plusses to adopting an adult. They generally have far more manners, for instance.
Trinity
Wonderfully sweet story!
cathaireverywhere
I really feel like we won the lottery with our pets. They all snuggle together like this, and Jasper’s friend Mayzie even grooms our black cat Onyx.
Jasper, Mayzie and Onyx are all from the SPCA, our black and white polydactyl Jones (in the picture) is from a different rescue group. Our gray and white tabby, Maybelline was found on the street when she was a small kitten, and our brown tabby/tortie (she’s both) was from a little of feral kittens born at the school where I used to work. I’ll have to send in that story, because it’s really pretty cool.
My husband gets too warm when the animals flop all over him, so in the evenings, our black cat Onyx will be lying with just his head on my husband’s lap while both dogs and at least two of the cats are wedged in next to me. My little black dog Mayzie lays across my lap and lets me prop the laptop on her.
I don’t always get to comment, because it seems like I get to the threads after everyone else has left, but Balloon Juice is a favorite read!
gogol's wife
@cathaireverywhere:
This picture was a great start to the day. Jasper is a sweetie! (so’s the cat, of course)
trollhattan
Awww, fuzzy buddies. Not so interested in the latest BJ fracas, methinks–especially kitteh–but…awww.
something fabulous
Great picture! SO sweet. (And thanks Anne Laurie for putting up the senior adoption widget! I think this is such a great idea, and just the right crowd for it!)
asiangrrlMN
@cathaireverywhere: Aw, Jasper and Jones are so sweet and cute snuggled up like that–and what a great story about Jasper. He was just meant to be with your family. Balloon Juice–the must-read for discerning animals everywhere.