Here’s a picture of sweet Ole Walter taking a look around the yard after dinner. Spoke with the driver, who is actually from around this area even though he and the company are down in Kentucky, and he knows right where I live, so another uncanny coincidence. Small world.
People are coming by to say bye bye, and before you know it he will b e whisked off to his new forever home with Debit. Such a lucky doggie.
Everyone keeps asking if I am going to miss him, and the simple answer is I am not. I mean, he’s a sweet, wonderful boy, but when I found him I never once got it into my head that I would keep him. I just never thought of him as “my” dog. I don’t know why, but I just didn’t. I knew what had to be done- he just needed to be picked up, fixed up, and sent off on his way, and thanks to you good people he can and is going to be heading west in style.
GK
I hope we’ll continue to get updates. I’m very invested.
MazeDancer
It is a poignant moment. Perfect picture. So good that you aren’t overly attached to Walter, John. But we all are. So Debit better give many updates.
Animals are so remarkable. Walter recovering and not having lost any zest for life is as inspiring as it is heart-breaking. May Walter adjust easily to relish the beauty of his new forever home
Adam L Silverman
Coat looks much, much better. Well done!
Major Major Major Major
Wow, he looks great!
Mary G
It’s great that Walter is getting farewell visits from your friends, family, neighbors in town. That’s a lovely picture of him with his head held high.
So much green in that picture. Do you even have to water that grass?
Of course you won’t miss him; he’s debit’s dog. She knew right away.
You did the work, John. A+ work. Thanks for letting me witness.
Also, too, I hope your car has been de-pooped and that you warned Walter’s driver to take lots of potty breaks!
Iowa Old Lady
I hope Walter isn’t too freaked out by being sent away from his rescuer.
eclare
What a good (and lucky!) boy! Kudos to you.
Giving mine scritches now in Walter’s honor.
TaMara (HFG)
Great photo. Isn’t it amazing how we know when we aren’t their person, just a stop along the way.
You did good John…and Debit, we expect lots of updates.
Safe travels, Walter.
RSR
Yea, Walter. Also, too, once again, great job, John. Your kindness is exemplary.
La Caterina (Mrs. Johannes)
Will Walter have canine or feline friends at his new home?
PaulWartenberg2016
You can never say goodbye to a dog.
You are part of his tribe now. And he is part of yours.
gogol's wife
Love you, Walter! Bon voyage!
ThresherK
How much does he weigh now?
amygdala
Who’s a good boy? Safe travels, Walter!
RoonieRoo
It’s stunning how much he’s changed in the short time you had him in your care. The fact that you knew Walter wasn’t your dog means that you are a natural foster. :)
dexwood
Walter. Fuckin’ A. Great job John. Thank you, debit. Well done, Walter.
seaboogie
@TaMara (HFG): What you said.
MelissaM
He looks YUUUUGE in that picture! Good thing, I guess, since he was so horribly skinny when you found him. You done seriously good, Cole. He was lucky you showed up to the foreclosing. Debit is getting a sweet, huge pup.
Aleta
@dexwood:
Yeah.
debit
@La Caterina (Mrs. Johannes): He will have both! Ellie is another senior black lab, and there is Oliver the Turkish Van mix and Julian the Maine Coon, and Oscar the foster cat. Luckily, I have a large fenced yard and plenty of house.
John, he looks amazing. I’m so grateful to you and the community. Can’t wait to meet him in person. Er, as it were.
hedgehog mobile
@dexwood: Well said.
Jim
Happy dog. Happy me. :-)
CaseyL
…it’s a good thing I’ll be out and about without access to the Web tomorrow, because just reading this has made me mist up. If I were watching the leave-taking in real time (of COURSE John will post that, right?) I’d start bawling like a baby.
Good on ya, John, for fixing Walter up and sending him on his way.
Good on ya, debit, for being the old guy’s forever home.
Oh, hell, now I am crying…
laura
I was totally freaked out by the absence of poop in this otherwise lovely photo of a good dog with expectations that things aren’t going to be as bad as they’ve been for too damn long.
Sail away sweet Walter, a distant shore -and great good things await.
Suddenly, it’s all misty at my house.
La Caterina (Mrs. Johannes)
@debit: He’s a lucky pup, so glad he’s going to such a wonderful home!
Let us have plenty of photos of the whole family.
Felonius Monk
Walter may be moving from WV to MN, but he’s not leaving Balloon Juice.
Are you putting a tracker on him, John, so we can follow his progress to his new home?
Catherine D.
I’ve been involved in breed rescue for more than 20 years, and I’ve almost always been happy to see them go. (There was one I would have kept, but I found him the best home.)
On the other hand, no more dogs for me after the current resident. Sticking with cats.
Booger
Damn.
SiubhanDuinne
I have told many people of Walter’s story, and I keep handy on my iPad photos of him the day John found him, the one taken 10 days on (when he was playing near water’s edge) and now today, just so I can regale captive audiences with his amazing tale. He has filled out so beautifully! Thrilled that he is going to his forever home with Debit, and I join the crowd that calls for lots of pictures and frequent updates.
Thank you, John Cole. I’m not the first to say it, and I’m certain it won’t be my last occasion to say it, but you are a very good man.
raven
Drive on Walter.
satby
What a difference! Walter looks good, great job John. That’s what rescue and fostering is all about, getting these discarded, sometimes abused pets and giving them and humanity another chance to get it right.
Walter will be fine, he’s been through so many changes already another won’t upset him too much. All they really ask for is tender loving care, and when they get it they’re content. He will miss John, but he’s going to be happy in his forever home. May he have a long enough life to cancel out his bad times and nothing but happiness in the future.
redshirt
Damn that’s some green grass. No drought in WV I assume.
Coin operated
What a transformation. You’re a good man Mr. Cole.
rikyrah
I remember when you were worried IF Walter could be saved.
Not only did you save him, but you found him a permanent home.
Walter isn’t even recognizable – which is a wonderful thing.
I’ve said it before and will way it again:
You are good people, Cole.
Tazj
He looks great. I’m glad he’s going to a great forever home, well done.
geg6
Damn you, Cole. This picture has me in waterfalls of tears. Walter looks so wonderful, you are such a good man and here I am wishing I’d called dibs on him before debit did! Good work, old man and debit? We better have regular updates.
Just One More Canuck
@Iowa Old Lady: This – I hope Walter is ok with the move
Mnemosyne
Awww. He looks like he’s already thinking, Is that the car that’s going to take me to my new home? No? Is it that one?
You did good, John.
Suzanne
WALTER! He looks great. I’m so happy for him. Good on you, Cole.
Debit, please please please let us know how he’s doing when he arrives.
Pogonip
Walter! Looks like his bald patches are growing in. Is that the beginning of britches I see on his back legs?
JR in WV
Congratulations, John G. Walter looks great.
Hoping he doesn’t miss you and the green rolling hills.
Western folks, we don’t water anything but newly planted stuff, flowers in pots, ferns in a dry spell. But watering grass? Na’ so much.
Chat Noir
@debit: You are an angel for giving Walter his forever home. Best wishes to you and your brood for the newest member. And John Cole for saving Walter and getting him to this point.
Cats and dogs deserve nothing but the best.
Kristine
So happy for Walter.
Thanks to Cole for saving him and debit for taking him in.
redshirt
@JR in WV: Western? I’m up here in Maine and if you’ve not been watering all Summer, your lawn is brown and scorched. Barely any rain all Summer.
jnfr
He’s lovely. Thank you John and everyone.
Run, Lillian!
So happy for Walter and debit! He just looks amazing.Thank you so much John Cole for saving this wonderful dog and bringing us all along on this journey- Walter updates have been giving me life during this slog of an election.
May the road rise to meet you Walter! And John and debit.
Miss Bianca
I just rescued a toy from Luna that she should *not* have been chewing on (it was one of mine, not hers!) – Little Miss Mischief stole it off the dresser and veeerrry quietly retreated to the far side of the bed with it, thinking that maybe I wouldn’t notice her there! – and found myself telling her, “you have no idea how good you have it, girl – *some* dogs have way bigger worries than being scolded!”
Walter was one of those dogs. Walter got very, very lucky. Good for you, JC!
John Weiss
John,
Bless your heart. How could you ever have been a ‘Pub?
Whelp, the human heart is an enduring mystery.
jw
Karen marie
After that one outburst, there hasn’t been any further talk – here, anyway – of Thurston being rehomed, so I am guessing he’s outgrown up ending the bucolic serenity of Chez Cole. I am glad for that.
Thank you for being such a standup guy, Mr. Cole, in giving Walter a chance to be well loved in his twilight years. Thank you, Debit, for opening your heart and home to Walter. And thank you all, commenters, for being such a bunch of mensches. It’s a privilege to hang out with you all.
seaboogie
@Just One More Canuck:
From this most excellent photo John took of Walter, my take-away is that Walter is standing there wondering what wonderful thing is going to happen next. He’s had nothing but kindness and generous,caring and thoughtful treatment since the day that John opened Walter’s door…
Walter seems to have gone from a glass nearly empty sort of pooch to one whose glass is constantly overflowing with nothing but goodness and happy surprises. He’s going to start a long ride tomorrow, and he does seem to enjoy car rides with great anticipation of what adventure lies ahead. En route, he’ll have a caring courier and will sail down the highway with all of our loving wishes (which I’m sure that he will feel as the miles tick away) to find Debit and her family on the other end waiting with open arms to love him and give him his forever home. Yay Walter!
And Yay John Cole – you are a very good man. It is said that the human heart is the size of a closed fist. John, I think that is why your own paws are so meaty these days – your heart is just that big.
Ang
@Iowa Old Lady: This lurker was wondering the same thing. Not so much whether John would miss Walter, but whether Walter would miss John.
John, you did good.
Exit 135
You are a wonderful person. Saving Walter is a Mitzvah. Any word on the scum bag who left Walter to die?
CONGRATULATIONS!
Y’all who are worried about Walter freaking out about getting moved – don’t be. He’ll settle in just fine. Labs are incredibly resilient and have an infinite amount of love to give. He will be fine. The hard part was making sure he recovered from his ordeal. John Cole is obviously really good at this. Those first pics of Walter, well…I thought for certain he’d have to be put down. Instead, he has a new life. I find that rather remarkable by any standard.
Steeplejack
@John Cole:
It’s great that you rescued him, and it’s kind of cool that you named him. He really does look like a Walter. I hope debit decides to keep that name.
Genine
You did what you were supposed to, John. He’s healthy and ready for his forever home.
Beldar
You are a good man John Cole.
Trav
This is why I lurk on this blog daily. That and the Cole rants. I’ve been in rescue for the past 20 years and it has drained my capacity to relate to any human that is not inherently kind to animals. I savor and cry at the happy endings because I’ve seen the sad ones too often.
Theodore Wirth
You are a better man than me John Cole.