6th Annual - Your Furry Valentine Contest

Share your love stories and everyone wins! barker & meowsky's 6th Annual - Your Furry Valentine Contest

With Valentine's Day’s arrival, we can’t help but think of true love and love stories – especially those little sources of unconditional love, our own furry valentines. Throughout the year we’re privileged to hear from our customers stories of rescue, destiny and love at first sight and we want to hear more! Think back and remember the moment you realized that you and your furry friend were meant to be together. Was it love at first sight? Were you surfing petfinder.com and saw a face you just couldn’t forget? Were you in a shelter and saw a cat that you had to share your life with? Did your dog save you from a burning building? What is it that they do every day that makes you love them a little more?

Every year the entries make us laugh and cry - we are always touched. Last year’s winning stories illustrated the powerful effect our furry friends have on all of us. Just when we think we are rescuing them, they are rescuing us right back! Good luck, and remember, you have a furry valentine so you’re already a winner! As always, we want to reward true love, so every entry receives a coupon code for a special valentine offer. (Cat got your tongue? Simply tell us you love your furry friend to receive your coupon.) Thank you for sharing your stories with us!

This year we’re thrilled to welcome our celebrity judges, beloved Chicago veterinarian Dr. Marla Minuskin & animal expert Steve Dale.

The details:
Everyone who enters gets a coupon code.
Prize packages: 1st place = $150 value, 2nd place = $75 value.
Entry deadline 2/28/2010.
Winners announced 3/4/2010.
Email your story & pictures (we love pictures!!!) to blog@barkerandmeowsky.com
Winning stories will be published on our blog.

About Our Celebrity Judges:
Dr. Marla Minuskin, is one of Chicago’s most beloved veterinarians. A graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 1985 and the co-founder of Family Pet Animal Hospital in 1990. Dr. Minuskin skillfully and lovingly cares for more barker & meowsky customers than we can count!
Steve Dale, a champion of the human-animal bond, pet expert and certified dog and cat behavior consultant, reaches more pet owners than any other pet journalist in America. Steve writes a twice weekly syndicated newspaper column (Tribune Media Services), he’s a contributing editor at USA Weekend and host of two nationally syndicated radio shows, The Pet Minute, and Steve Dale’s Pet World at WLS Radio, Chicago. Steve Dale's website is a wonderful resource for all of us who love our pets.

Your Furry Valentine Contest First Runner Up 2009

"I'm never getting another dog again." Those were the words I cried out to my mother on that October day. My father had just taken Randy, our beloved 14 year-old family dog to the vet. It was time and I was inconsolable. I cried as I saw Randy sitting in the backseat looking so sick as my dad pulled the car out of the garage. It's an image that still makes me weep now, 20 years later. I could not bear to ever go through this again and from that day forward, there would be no more dogs.
Randy was a wonderful, sweet and smart mixed breed with floppy ears and an adorable face. My dad, who had two daughters called him "son" and often pedaled around on his bike with Randy on a leash happily trotting beside him. Five years later my father passed away unexpectedly. I didn't remember many details from that time but I do remember that I tucked a note inside the casket right before they closed it. It said "Say hello to Rand y". It gave me some comfort to know they were together now. So me, the dog and animal lover went on through life with no pets after that.
I had a recurring dream over the years that Randy was still alive - he was a dog in his 20s and 30s which I knew was impossible but after all, anything is possible in a dream. I had been a child when we got Randy and now I was a young adult with a busy job and life an d now with a home of my own. A dog just didn't make sense.

Fast forward to 2005. I sat transfixed before the TV news one Sunday watching a live rescue from rooftops in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. While the helicopter plucked people up one by one , I was fixated on a little white dog that was standing among the people on the roof of a building. "Please God, let them take the dog too." I thought to myself. Finally, the last man they rescued picked up the little dog and away they went to the safety of the helicoptor.

Now it was a few months later - Christmas time, and a series of events led me one Saturday to visit the local shelter - The North Shore Animal League. Mostly, it was that image of the little white dog from New Orleans that had somehow triggered me into thinking about getting a dog again. I debated if I should go and then ;finally decided that I would and "just look." It was getting dark and I couldn't find the street that the shelter was on and was about to turn around and go home but oddly, for whatever reason, I looked up and there was the street in front of me so I figured I'll just st op in for a few minutes since I've come this far but again, "I'm only gonna look". Famous last words.

I walked in and on every cage was a sign that said "Hurricane Rescue." I was shocked. Did not realize that any of those dogs and cats had made it all the way up to New York so many months after the Hurricane. They all looked so sad and tears immediately welled up in my eyes. Then I saw the sign that said "Nursery". I turned the corner and there he was. First cage on the top row. A little black ball of fur curled up and peering out at me. I put my finger through the cage to stroke his nose and his eyes followed me. Before too long, one of the workers swooped in and asked me if I wanted to hold him. "Sure!" I said. He was no more than 6 weeks old and cute as a button. I held him for a while and then the girl was back and she said the magic words - "Do you want him?". I thought how can I put this little guy - all alone with no mommy and no siblings back? He had been rescued from the ravaged south and God knows what he went through in those first 6 weeks of his life - he was so little and all alone in a strange place. "Oh my God what am I doing "Yes", I blurted out! That was it, they flipped the sign on his cage to signal that he was taken, put him back in the cage and whisked me off for paperwork, interviews, references, etc. I then was directed to a waiting room where other perspective nervous new "parents" sat. The large signs on the wall warned "Are you ready to give the next 15 years of your life to this animal?". Suddenly the door opened and the woman asked for the "lady from Garden City". I thought "Oh no, I've been rejected!". But instead she asked me if I could come back to the nursery because the puppy would not stop crying since I left him. OK, that was it! I knew it then, he was mine!

A few minutes later after being congratulated on my successful adoption, I left carrying my new little boy with not a clue as to what to do with him. I had nothing prepared and told no one where I was going that day. Boy, were some people going to be surprised. I tried to stick his little body in my large purse in the car but that lasted about 2 seconds so I ended up driving home with him on my lap. "What have I done?" I thought to myself. "Am I crazy? I'm not prepared for a dog let alone such a young puppy" - no crate, no puppy barricades , no toys, no food, no nothing.

As I turned down the street to my house, it seemed to all make sense. This day would have been my father's birthday and when I looked at the papers that the Animal League gave me, my new puppy had been born on the same date that Randy had died on so many years before. As my new little bundle of joy scampered onto my white living room rug and promptly tinkled, I knew his name: "Maxwell Joseph Randolph" - the last 2 names after my dad and his "brother" Randy. I knew that they were both were smiling down on this new little guy.

Elizabeth H.

Your Furry Valentine Contest Winner 2009

Two years ago on the 4^th of July, Maxx, our Great Dane, wanted to go outside to play. She immediately saw something orange and white in the lawn and ran over to investigate. My husband thought it was one of her numerous stuffed animals which she likes to carry outside when using the potty. Maxx just kept licking this curious orange and white lump more carefully then she does her toys. As my husband got closer he saw that it was a tiny kitty no more than a few weeks old. The little stray kitten was dehydrated, very ill, and had puncture wounds form his siblings all over his little head. We rushed him to the emergency hospital where they kept him for 3 days for treatment. On the day we picked him up from emergency hospital, they had discovered a giant abscess covering his head. They told us he would not make it. We did not give up hope and brought him immediately to our vet. For the next 12 days the kitten was in and out of the vets to drain the abscesses that had continued to form. Our dog Maxx was so worried that every 10 to 15 minutes she would walk over to her tiny kitty to check on him and give him kisses. Maxx even slept close by to make sure she was there if any problems came up over the night. With lots of time, hand feeding and love, the tiny kitty survived. Seeing how well our dog Maxx cared for this little kitty, we decided to keep him and name him Sid Vicious. This was because of his tough cat attitude and… naughty behavior at the vets when he was better. Sid had become Maxx’s new baby to care for; where today they are the best of buddies. Our vet to this day says the only reason Sid survived was because Maxx took such a special interest in Sid, making him hold on to life by giving him all the love she could.

Christy R.

Your Furry Valentine Contest Winner - 2008

I am not a cat person. Maybe you can see where this is going
just from that sentence, but in my case, it's true. My
childhood pet was a sturdy little Norwich Terrier (who looked a
little like the love child of Toto from the Wizard of Oz and
Duncan McTavish, the Westhighland terrier who fought crime). I
thought I would always have a dog in my life, preferably just
like the one I'd had when I was little. My love of dogs led me
to the local animal shelter where I volunteered to walk and
socialize the dogs. I enjoyed working with them, both the
behaviorally challenged ones and the sweet tempered ones.

After volunteering there for several months, the shelter
director offered me a job. I was happy to work there, though it
was the hardest job I've ever had, both emotionally and
physically. Like anyone who has worked at a shelter, the
stories I have are both devastating and inspiring. I held a
tiny kitten over a vaporizer as it gasped its last breaths; I
pulled a three-week-old kitten out of a sealed tupperware
container that had been left on the shelter steps; I watched as
a badly beaten dog was euthanized while its owner was simply
reprimanded. I also saw a cat who was hit by a car learn to
walk with only two legs, becoming the friskiest cat in the
cattery; I saw a dog who growled and bit out of fear from abuse
learn to trust and love being petted and held; I watched a cat
with only one eye get adopted by a four year old girl who
thought he was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

There are so many love stories from my time at the shelter, but
only one has become lifelong; that's the love story of me and a
cat named Minky. I saw a homeless, sick, and sad little cat,
weighing only four pounds and missing part of her ear, come
into the shelter after complications with a forced spaying.
She'd been caught from a feral cat colony outside of a trailer
park. When she was spayed, the vet discovered that, even though
she was only about four months old, she was already pregnant.
Her complications led her to a slow recovery at the shelter
where I worked. Minky always rolled over in her cage to say
hello when I came in, and she always tried to grab a sip from
my Starbucks travel cup (to this day she tries to drink my coffee).

I'm not sure what exactly it was that made her stand out from
the other 106 cats who all had strong and moving stories. Maybe
it was that, even when sick, she had the softest fur in the
world. Or that she would follow me with her eyes as I moved
around the shelter, making chirping sounds if I came near her
cage (she had the cage in the uppermost right corner, on a wall
of 54 occupied cat cages). It could also be that, no matter how
many times I had to give her pills, injections, or clean her
ears, she never bit me, scratched me, or even narrowed her
bright green eyes at me. She always purred. She still does. She
came to the shelter nameless and I came to call her Mink,
because of her soft fur and because, as she got healthier, she
would try to ride around on my shoulders like an expensive
stole. She melted me. She sleeps on her back, curled in a ball,
and purrs every second of her life.

When I left the shelter to take a full time teaching job, I had
to take her with me. I couldn't bear the thought of her waking
up, excited to sneak a sip of coffee and chirp at me as I
worked, only to find me not there. When I brought her home, I
thought she would hide for a little while, but she walked the
perimeter of the house, then came to curl up in my lap. Now,
she lives not only with me, but with my husband and two small
children. She wraps her little paws around their heads while
they watch television and she grooms them, licking big clumps
of their hair and purring loudly. They love it and are
disgusted by it. She's still never bitten or scratched anyone,
and her motor is always running.

Sometimes we think about her life before she came to our
family, about what the E! True Hollywood Story of Minky would
be like. Truth is, she's the most gentle, kind little animal
I've ever known. Now, when people ask me if I'm a cat person, I
tell them I'm a Minky person. I couldn't leave her there in the
shelter, but she's given me more than I've given her. She makes
every day of our lives better by gracing us with her purr. We
all love our pets this much; I'm so grateful she's mine.

Your Furry Valentine Contest Runner-up 2008

I don’t just have one furry valentine… I have three. My pups are all so different and each has captured my heart in different ways. They all have their own stories, but at the end of the day, we are our own little family.

Sullivan is my incredibly handsome Labrador, and he was my first dog. He’s a true Southern gentleman who, although a little bashful, gives his heart completely to anyone who offers him food! I love the fact that he’ll fetch and swim all day long, but he’ll curl up with me on the sofa for hours at a time as well. He was a single dog in the beginning, and he was painfully shy. I couldn’t take him anywhere or he would tremble in fear… definitely not a typical, confident lab. So I began working with him to give him confidence and help him overcome his fears. Gradually – week by week, month by month, year by year – he has turned into a different dog. Although he still is shy, he is healthy and happy. He can travel with me and have a blast at the beach. We can have houseguests and he’s actually happy to see them! One of the biggest influences on Sully was actually the next little orphan to come into our family…

I actually discovered Oliver on Valentine’s Day a few years ago after he had been dumped at six months of age off a country road. He was dirty, starving and cold, and his big pink ears were badly sunburned. I scooped him up and took him home. I left him on the back deck to go inside to get a towel to dry him off, and by the time I came back out, he had crawled into a big flower pot and gone to sleep. Soon after I took him in, I realized he was deaf. But he is such a little survivor and has learned all his commands with sign language. And because he’s deaf, he’s often more in tune with my body language and how I’m feeling than the other two hearing dogs. I adore this little guy and his wonderfully happy attitude. He also depends a great deal on Sullivan. As soon as they met, it was almost as if Sullivan realized Ollie would need assistance. So Sully never goes anywhere without him. Because Ollie can’t hear, he depends on watching Sully to know when things are going on, and Sully makes sure that he’s always in Ollie’s line of sight. The two brothers are inseparable, and once Ollie had settled in with us, I thought our family was complete. Oh, how I was wrong!

I call Mona Mae my “Drive-through Dog.” I found her late one night as I pulled out of my local fast food drive-through. She was trying desperately to find food. She came home with me, and at the vet the next day, we discovered she was expecting her second litter of puppies at only one year of age. So she settled in with me and had a litter of six beautiful puppies (who have all gone on to wonderful new homes) on the Fourth of July. When I rescued Mona, I fully intended for her to be a temporary rescue and planned to find her another forever home. But during the weeks of helping her raise her puppies, I fell completely in love with this bossy, brilliant and loving little dog. So now, two years later, she runs the household. And I can’t imagine my life without her. She has gone through two advanced obedience training courses with me, and we are currently working on her Pet Therapy Partner certification. She visits nursing homes with me and although she is full of energy and attitude at home, she goes through a complete transformation the moment we walk through a facility’s door. She becomes quiet and gentle and will sit for hours on end allowing her self to be petted, kissed and loved. Everyone who meets her is completely smitten.

Finally, one of the biggest reasons I adore my three furry valentines is that they allow me to continually rescue other pups in need. My house is constantly topsy-turvy with different rescued dogs (and cats) coming in and out. My house is always just a place for them to rest, get some love and care, and then I find them forever homes and send them on their way. But all three of my dogs take this in stride. They always welcome other animals – sharing their toys, their beds and their hearts. Without their kind indulgence, I couldn’t continue my rescue efforts.

They are indeed a motley crew… no serious pedigrees, blue ribbons or fancy titles. But all three are so incredibly special to me, and I am so grateful that each has come into my life.

Lucky in Love

Once again, the love stories have poured in and they have warmed our hearts. Choosing the winners was a very difficult task. We laughed, we cried and we were reminded how much our furry friends mean to us in so many different ways. Thank you to everyone who shared a love story with us. We would like to officially declare everyone a winner as you all recognize the love and devotion of your furry valentines.

The First Prize winner of the contest, and a $200 barker & meowsky gift package, is Anastasia Fitzwater & her cat Minky (now we’re Minky people too!) Our first runner-up is Ryan Dawkins and her three pups Sullivan, Mona Mae and Oliver. Ryan will receive a $75 barker & meowsky prize pack.

The winning stories will be posted here for all to read. The barker & meowsky team would like to thank Steve Dale for his help in the difficult task of choosing the winners.

Our Furry Valentines

Here are some of our favorite pictures that came along with the "Your Furry Valentine" submissions. It's definitely not hard to see why these bundles of love (and fur) are so adored!

Click on image to enlarge

Share The Love Stories

barker & meowsky's 4th Annual
Your Furry Valentine Contest

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, we can’t help but think of true love and love stories – especially those little sources of unconditional love, our own furry valentines. Throughout the year we’re privileged to hear from our customers stories of rescue, destiny and love at first sight and we want to hear more!

We want you to think back and remember the moment you realized that you and your furry friend were meant to be together. Was it love at first sight? Were you surfing petfinder.com and saw a face you just couldn’t forget? Were you in a shelter and saw a cat that you had to share your life with? Did your dog save you from a burning building? Did you find yourself living with a pet that slowly endeared herself to you over time? What is it that they do every day that makes you love them a little more?

Every year the entries make us laugh and cry - we are always touched. Last year’s poignant winning story described how one little beagle changed a couple’s life forever. Please stop by our store, or email your special story and pictures to us at blog@barkerandmeowsky.com. This year, along with barker and meowsky, we’re thrilled to welcome our celebrity Judge, animal expert Steve Dale, to join us in choosing a favorite story.

As always, we want to reward true love. The best story wins a $200 barker & meowsky prize package, 1st runner up wins a $75 barker & meowsky prize package and the winning stories will be published on our blog.

Good luck, and remember, you have a furry valentine so you’re already a winner! Every entry receives a coupon with a special valentine offer.
Thank you for sharing your stories with us!

Entry deadline is February 29^th, 2008. (Winners will be announced March 4th.) To read the stories of past furry valentine contest winners, click "furry valentine contest" in the archives.

About our Celebrity Judge : Steve Dale, a champion of the human-animal bond, pet expert and certified dog and cat behavior consultant, reaches more pet owners than any other pet journalist in America.

Steve writes a twice weekly syndicated newspaper column (Tribune Media Services), he’s a contributing editor at USA Weekend, special correspondent Cat Fancy, and host of two nationally syndicated radio shows, Steve Dale’s Pet World and The Pet Minute as well as Pet Central on WGN Radio, Chicago. Steve Dale’s website is a wonderful resource for all of us who love our pets: http://www.stevedalepetworld.com/

Your Furry Valentine Contest Winner - 2007

My boyfriend John and I adopted a beautiful beagle in 2002.

At a friend's urging, we checked out an adoption fair at a local park one
sunny Sunday. We had no intention of selecting a pet that day, but both
of us loved dogs and were especially partial to beagles. We picked up the
"Just Looking" pass at the entrance to the fair and off we went to spend
some time with the homeless animals.

We took several of the dogs into the yard for a "test drive" to give them
some exercise and enjoy their company for the afternoon. Although they
were all adorable, one shy red-haired beagle mix caught John's eye as
she was relaxing on the lap of a young volunteer. She appeared to have
an extremely calm nature and seemed to particularly enjoy human affection.

Once John began to hold her, I knew he wasn't going to hand her back to
the volunteer. I halfheartedly insisted that we weren't ready to adopt, as
both of us lived in apartments, but John undaunted handed our new friend
to me while he raced to the front table to trade in our "Just Looking" sign
for adoption paperwork.

After much debate, we agreed on the name "Brooklyn," as John and I had
shared a romantic night gazing at the New York skyline from a Brooklyn
restaurant. The name seemed girlish, yet sassy like our cute red-head,
and her name would be a constant reminder of one our most memorable
trips together.

Over the next couple of years, Brooklyn made a name for herself among
friends, relatives, neighbors and strangers alike. She had a personality that
won over non-animal-lovers and befriended all - young and old - with her
gentle spirit. She seemed to gaze into your very soul at times like a wise
friend. She amazed all by only barking outside, and then only when she
saw a rabbit. They shouted her name like Norm at Cheers when she
entered the local dog bakery and a parrot even whistled from his cage
when she tried on some dog booties at a neighborhood pet shop. She
learned a few obedience commands and responded beautifully to the tune
of "New York, New York," as she knew the tune signaled peanut butter was
not far behind. (Once, when she accidentally got loose, I was forced to sing
the song as loudly as possible - much to my neighbors' chagrin - in order to
stop her in her tracks!)

In late 2004, John and I went our separate ways after more than six years
together, and I dried my tears on Brooklyns soft ears. John and I exchanged
Brooklyn weekly in an amicable pet-sharing arrangement. It gave us an excuse
to stay a part of each other's lives, too, I think.

Approximately six months after we split, Brooklyn was diagnosed with a rare
nasal tumor. John and I took her to numerous specialists, but ultimately
decided her quality of life was most important and didn't opt for the extreme
treatment options.  She had seizures over the next week or so, and I still
remember meeting John at the animal hospital as he wrapped a hoodie
around our dearest Brooklyn while she trembled on the stainless steel
vet's table. 

As days passed, we tried to make her as comfortable as possible. I was at a
local pet store picking up "medical" supplies when John called my cell. I burst
into tears telling him that Brooklyn was too young to suffer from this and that
I should be buying her the cute baseball mitt-shaped cozy pillow bed and not
"doggie pads." John said, "Get it." Knowing she only had a very short time to
live, and knowing how practical John was, I was surprised, but took home the
comfy pet bed to Brooklyn. 

That night Brooklyn slept in that bed shaped like a giant mitt (John and I shared
a love for baseball and Brooklyn had joined us on the sofa watching many a
game over the years.) John placed his head on one side of her bed and I took
the other side, with our Brooklyn in the middle. Even though John and I had
now been separated for months, we both wanted to spend her last days with
her, and realized this would likely be one of our last times together as a trio.

A few days later, John had a vet come to his apartment to humanely end
Brooklyn's suffering and in our arms, Brooklyn took her last breath.

John and I loved Brooklyn deeply and the mutual grief over the loss of our
Brooklyn brought us closer again over the next weeks. John and I eventually
reunited and soon took a trip to New York. On July 3, 2005, we were standing
on the deck by that Brooklyn restaurant when a beagle bound seemingly out of
nowhere and raced toward us. We looked up and asked the couple trailing
behind if we could pet their dog, explaining we had just recently lost ours to
cancer. The Brooklyn couple encouraged us and proceeded to tell us his name
was Indiana! John and I turned and gazed at each other in amazement. As I was
born in Indiana, we thought this a wonderful coincidence, and concluded that
surely it was a sign from our Brooklyn that she approved of our reunion!

We miss her terribly still, but have the most wonderful memories. We have since
adopted another beagle, Haley. We moved together as a family to San Francisco
in May 2006.

Dawn F.
San Bruno, CA

Your Furry Valentine Contest Winner - 2006

I never had a dog growing up. I’m Southeast Asian and culturally, it’s not commonplace for us to grow up with a cat or dog in the household. Animals are generally considered unclean or for outside living only. It’s only recently that you see in traditional Indian households, dogs living indoors as domesticated pets. My parents just always felt that a dog was too much work and responsibility and that my priorities were school and homework.

When I was in college, I had no time for a dog or a cat; I was too busy having a good time with friends to bother about responsibilities. Later, in graduate school, my time was not my own—between studying for exams and getting ready for the real world and a real job, it was all I could do to make macaroni and cheese for dinner. But I always had this desire to have a dog. I imagined it would be so wonderful to take long walks, play on the beach, and fall asleep with a good book and my dog to keep me warm and safe.

When I bought my first home in the city, within a month, I got a dog. I’ll never forget scoping out breeders, animal shelters, and the want ads, daily, weekly, monthly. My mom and I drove all over Illinois in search of a dog for me.

When I saw Paru, with her little toy bone in her mouth leaping and jumping and wagging that tiny tail a mile a minute, I knew she was the one. She was so cute and furry and so wiggly-she could barely sit still. And forget about being a lap dog! Despite her terrier size, she was all Labrador Retriever in her personality. She was eager to fetch, play hide and seek and run outside in the grass. That summer, I walked Paru (and she walked me) all over the South Loop, through Grant Park and Printers Row. We were the talk of the neighborhood. Here and everywhere, I would march, with a long red nylon leash, no thicker than a silk ribbon, with this small 3 lb puppy charging ahead. It was my out of shape legs that were struggling to keep up.

But that’s not when I realized I’d fallen in love with Paru. My mom thought Paru was cute. She was this little silky terrier, a ball of fur with dark beautiful eyes and a penchant for peeing on her hardwood floors. My dad-he just never had time for Paru and when I brought her home, he thought it was a mistake, believing I didn’t have time or energy to take care of a dog and not wanting it to take away from what he prayed was my next focus in life after graduate school—getting married!

But my dad was wrong. Not just about me. He was wrong not to think that Paru was a boon. Because that first year, I devoted more time to life, my personal goals, and my mental and physical health and well being…all because I had a dog. Paru and I took long walks by the lake; I read outdoors with Paru playing near me in the park; I sat on my balcony and enjoyed the city life. And Paru was always with me, sharing her zest and simplicity for life.

And my father—he saw the sheer joy and delight Paru displayed the minute any of her family members returned home. It came to be that my dad would look forward to our visits to the suburbs and to their home, because Paru would always rush to the door to welcome him with a wet nose, warm lick, and speedy tail. And soon, he began to take Saturday afternoon naps with Paru and read the Sunday paper (she likes to sleep on the Perspectives section).

But that’s not all. Since Paru came into my life, I’ve been happier and healthier. I’ve begun to exercise more often, getting out for long walks in the mornings before work and in the evenings before bed. I’ve grown more at peace with myself and my goals and my life. And I’ve been happier and more alive since I got a dog. I even managed to take time from my busy hectic work life to focus on my own heart, fall in love and get married. And I honestly think that Paru was a big part of that. She reminded me to take care of myself and her and to make time for what was really important in life. No more late nights at work, eating stale pizza and working till dawn—Paru needs a walk and fresh water, and a set schedule. I needed that too. Paru taught me that.

When I think about how much my life has prospered since Paru, I’d be foolish to say my own determination wasn’t a big part of my individual success. But I’d be a liar to overlook the peace and calm and happiness that has blanketed my life since Paru came into it. Into all of our lives-my dad, who works hard every day and comes home to a happy heart in Paru; my mom who kisses Paru constantly, till Paru gets sick of it J; and now, to my husband, Ravi, who is Paru’s newest conquest. She snuggles up to him in our bed every morning for a tummy rub. I think she believes she got herself a husband too.

Any way you look at it, Paru is not a dog in our household. She is family. Her photo, in black and white, sits in my parents’ entrance hallway, right next to photos of my brother and I, my husband, and my grandparents. And in our home, Paru is our treasure, having traveled with us on vacations, celebrated our wedding, and sharing each evening with us on the couch. For a family who never knew what it meant to have a dog, we certainly have expanded our hearts to take in one of our most treasured family members.

So when did I truly realize just how much I loved Paru? When on a spring day last year, my husband proposed to me and amidst my joy and happiness at the future, a wedding, and that beautiful ring, I still managed to say what only could be the truest words in my heart and the first thought in my head—you, me, and Paru too, right?

I love Paru. She is my best girl. No doubt about it.

Sona
Chicago, IL