Laney's Adoption Story

After my 31st birthday, I started joking around with my mother that I was thinking about getting a dog. Always a cat person and growing up with them, I was never crazy about dogs. To say the least. But one day, my mother and I decided to just go check out the dogs at the local Humane Society. I had no real intent to adopt a dog, I just wanted to see what was out there. I own my own home and had recently had my roommate move out. Most of my neighbors own dogs. And I began to think about a canine companion. Meanwhile, over several weeks, I began looking around online to read up on different breeds and if I were to get a dog, tried to figure out which breeds would suit me.

On my first visit to the Humane Society, I met a cute medium-sized mutt who was very sweet, but clingy and nervous. I decided to go home and think about it for the night. Over the next couple days, I had pretty much talked myself out of that dog, if not the whole idea of getting one. But my parents came down that weekend again, and once again, my mother and I decided to go to the Humane Society to look at the dogs again to check them all out again.

Instead, I didn’t even make it to the back rooms where the dogs were kept this time. Out front, there were a couple dogs that caught my eye right away. One was a really cute puppy, and the other was a quiet small-to-medium sized dog whose info sheet read that she was a stray, already housebroken, and had basic training. Then I noticed that this 2 year old mix was part Shar Pei, which was the one dog breed that I’ve always admired because of those cute wrinkles. She was mixed with a Beagle, so according to the one of the workers, she wouldn’t have the health problems that many Shar Pei’s deal with, such as annoying skin conditions. The office worker told the volunteer to have me walk the Shar Pei/Beagle mix first, whom they had named Mai Tai.

I knew within minutes that I was falling for this dog. I asked about her adoption price, and what it would cost to put a “hold” on her. Meanwhile, I had assumed my mother would then try to talk me out of getting “Mai Tai.” But instead, with tears in her eyes, she said, “I think God put this dog here just for you.” And I knew then that she was right, and started tearing up myself. And so, I adopted “Mai Tai” (whom I immediately renamed “Lois Lane,” but ended up nicknaming “Laney”) on April 26th of 2008.

Little did I know how much love I could feel for a dog. She’s my constant companion, loyal, sweet, obedient, playful yet calm, smart, loves people of all ages, loves other dogs, and has the cutest wrinkles. My world seems to revolve around Laney now. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.