Abby

While I was in New York, my sister's family decided to adopt a rescued dog. We all went over to the North Shore Animal League on Saturday and took a look at the new crop of animals which had recently arrived from Alabama.

(a sign from one of the cages)

I asked one of the men working there if the dogs had been picked up off the street and was told that some were. But most of the dogs (and cats) came from shelters which had been flooded following the tornadic activity. From their website:

Animal League Rescue Teams Respond to Recent Natural Disasters

178 tornadoes recently devastated areas in the Midwest and the South, with Alabama being one of the hardest hit states. Our rescue teams are being dispatched to help save animals from areas devastated by tornadoes.

It was tough walking past the cages, seeing dogs of all sizes, colors and ethnicity (ha) so eager to interact with us. The place was noisy with happy barking. We stopped at one quiet cage where a sad, little brown dog stayed as far away from us as she could get. She was a "mill rescue." Her entire purpose during her 2 years of life was to produce puppies for sale. She knew nothing about human kindness, was nervous and subdued.

She wasn't right for my sister's family but we decided that some kind soul would eventually take her home. She was irresistible in her way- that sweet, sad face. Indeed, we did see people with her in the 'play area' later.

We kept on walking and were almost through a door that would take us to another section when my sister spotted Abby in the last cage with another dog. She was standing up front and when you looked at her, she wagged her tail. She wasn't a fur-ball of energy, but she was friendly. She was the right size, sex, age and seemed to have the right temperament.

During our drive to the shelter my sister had said that it was likely the dog would pick them, rather than the other way around. When we were given Abby on a leash to take to the play area, she accepted our petting and went easily from one person to the next. After a little while, my niece wanted to take one more look around at the dogs, so I held the lease while they all went to see if Abby had any competition.

Abby followed them to the glass door and watched until they came back. My sister was right. Abby had picked the family she wanted to go home with.

From what I hear, everything is going fine with the new addition to the household. We keep waiting for another side of her personality to emerge, but it looks like she's a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kinda dog. Everyone is happy.

Except Rascal.