Quiet Dog Reaches Paw Out to Shelter Visitor, Marking the Beginning of a Lifelong Friendship

Quiet Dog Reaches Paw Out to Shelter Visitor, Marking the Beginning of a Lifelong Friendship

Kelly Fenwick

This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Submit your own rescue story here. Your story just might be the next to be featured on our blog!

One day, we went to the local shelter "just to look around." It was full of lots of barking dogs. We walked along the aisles until we came to a dog calmly sitting in her cage, not barking at all. I later learned that she was still under sedation from her spay surgery the day before. Hah.

I crouched down to say hello to her, and she stuck her paw through the bars and put it on my arm. That was it. I was not going to leave without her. I spent the next 10 or 15 minutes convincing my husband that we had to get her, all the while standing in front of her cage, purposely blocking anyone else from getting a look at her.


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Her name was Princess, but I didn't like that name for a big dog. I happened to see a tiny sign in a dirty little second story window that said Isis. I loved the idea of naming her after an Egyptian goddess, so that was her new name.

Isis was the most wonderful dog in the world. She was super smart. She was the best behaved dog in her training class, of course. She was sweet and loving. She gave the best hugs. All you had to do was open up your arms, and she would come lean into you with all her weight. She could knock you over with her hugs if you hadn't braced yourself properly.

Even though we changed her name, she was still sometimes a bit of a princess. She didn't like getting wet or muddy. She would very carefully walk around any puddles on our walks. She loved playing in the snow, but her poor paws would get cold and she'd start holding them up off the ground, one at a time. She loved chasing squirrels.

Photo: Kelly Fenwick

She had the most adorable little goatee and the biggest, most soulful eyes. She was and always will be my first baby. She passed away at 11-and-a-half years old exactly one year ago. I still think of her every single day.

Story submitted by Kelly Fenwick from Toronto, Canada.

This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!

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