The sign was irresistible.
Once we saw it on a fence along the canal in Lambertville, the next step
was easy. I texted the number and connected
with a woman who is a giant advocate for “Happy,” a happy (yes!), and lovable
hound mix puppy who needs a home.
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| Young Happy |
Then I met Happy himself, and he lived up to his
billing. He’s a handsome young guy now
nearly a year old, and he weighs about 45 pounds. With his siblings, he came to Animal Alliance some
months ago. They were all adopted.
But Happy is still waiting for his person and his home.
He’s special: he was born with an underdeveloped cerebellum,
so his vision and motion are both impaired. Not that this upbeat boy behaves as if
anything like that holds him back!
Happy is an animated walker – partly puppy energy, partly free
from his AA crate and loving being outside, partly his impairment. His walk can be more of a prance or a dance
than a typical dog walk.
When I took a walk with him and 2 of his biggest fans (one,
the creator of the sign about him), his manner was frolicsome: while covering
ground, he throws out his front legs to the side and front, and — maybe
because we gave him occasional treats — he’s an enthusiastic grass-sniffer at
the same time.
Happy isn’t in pain, nor will his condition shorten his life
span. As far as he knows, this is life –
and he appears to love it.
But Happy is still hoping for his person and his home.
A dog who shows no trace of aggression, but just joie de
vivre, Happy seems always to be smiling and ready to go, to play, to . . .
drink water. That’s right: at the mere
mention of that possibility, Happy got excited.
So, out came the water bottle and portable bowl, which he would have
dived into if possible. He settled for a
looooooong slurpy drink.
All that enthusiasm for the simplest things, and yet when he
relaxes, it’s easy to believe he could cuddle with his friends forever.
But Happy still needs a person and a home.
“Super sweet” is one descriptor used for this dear dog, who
“wants to be everyone’s friend.” Imagine
how ecstatic Happy would be in a loving home with someone taking the time to
work with him, savoring how smart and how quickly he learns.
Who among us can made this claim about ourselves or people
we know: What stands out about Happy is “his amazing personality and its effect
on the mood of everyone who comes in contact with him. He is so full of joy, you can’t help but be
happy around him.”
But Happy still needs, and deserves, his person and his home.
Visit Animal Alliance (animalalliancenj.org) to learn
about adopting from the Lambertville-area facility. Start with the “About” section for an overview
of its history, services and regulations. Here’s AA’s link to Happy on Petfinder: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/happy-50540490/nj/lambertville/animal-alliance-nj290/
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| Happy & friends |
Please comment: Animal heroes are all around us, and they should be
recognized. For instance, Francine,”
who organized a group of women to walk Happy and help enrich his life while
he’s still at Animal Alliance. Then she
made the sign I saw (and hope many others did too), and invited me to a
get-acquainted walk last week.
Readers, maybe you’re animal heroes too. I’m inviting you to name I or 2 others
in a comment here: who do you regard as an animal hero and briefly what does
s/he do for animals?
Thank
you.