“Gotcha” Day

Today’s the day Richard and I finally get to meet our new pup and bring him home.  Yesterday we bought the remaining essentials at PetSmart, and last night felt something like Christmas eve as I unpacked and assembled the wire travel crate and we cut tags off the new leash, collar, harness, dog bed, and assorted toys.  I filled a rubber chew toy with peanut butter and a smoked chicken treat and put it in the freezer, then cleared a shelf in the utility room for dog supplies like food, brushes and shampoo.  I went to bed thinking that tomorrow would be different – tomorrow our home would be changed by the addition of a scrappy, six-month-old rescue mutt.

Rescue Road Trips is transporting our new mutt from central Louisiana to New York’s Hudson Valley; he’ll be dropped off at Spring Valley, a little more than an hour’s drive from home.  I checked Rescue Road Trips’ website one last time, pausing again to read a quote from Will Rodgers:

If there are no dogs in Heaven,

Then when I die,

I want to go where they went.

I clicked the link for “Scheduled New England Pickups” and began reading:  “’GOTCHA DAY’ • Please bring a leash, some small treats, and a bit of water.  Gotcha Day is a joyously emotional experience for all involved.  Be ready to shed a tear, have your heart stolen, and don’t forget to bring a camera.”

I make contact with Greg, the owner of Rescue Road Trips, and tell Greg I’ll see him tomorrow to pick up (the dog soon to be formerly known as) “Bubbles”.

“Bubbles!” Greg says, “well he is just a sweetheart, he’s such a little love.  That picture I posted on Facebook captures his personality very well; he just wants to play and have his belly rubbed.  I’ve got four eighty-pound dogs, and my wife and I are definitely going small next time.”

I ask Greg if there’s anything else I need to bring with me.  “They have water in their crates and I keep them ‘snacked’ pretty regular; his last snack will be at 6AM, so he’ll be good to go when you get here.  If you have time, please make some sort of ‘welcome’ sign – even just with a Sharpie on a sheet of paper – and I’ll meet you there at nine.”

Gotcha Day dawns still and chilly – a cold, blue sky, autumn morning.  As we drive through New Paltz on the way to the interstate, Richard says, “I was just thinking that if we were picking this dog up in China or Taiwan today we’d probably be eating it tonight.”  When we stop laughing, he adds, “And if we were picking it up in Alaska, it would tow us home – and it would sleep outside tonight.  But instead – between the adoption and transport fees and what we spent on supplies maybe instead of Bubbles we should call him ‘Bundles’”

As we approach our exit – minutes away from the designated Park & Ride pickup point, I say, “I really hope he doesn’t have an underbite; I hope what we saw in that Facebook photo was a trick of the light – or because he was lying on his back.”

Photo courtesy of Jane Zippilli

The Rescue Road Trip 18-wheeler is parked in the far end of the lot – a rolling billboard with photos of dogs beneath the logo and the tag line, “Saving dogs 4 paws at a time.”  Several people stand outside the open doors, and as Richard pulls into a parking spot I can see people getting acquainted with their new dogs.

I hadn’t imagined an operation of quite this scale but there seem to be at least six dogs being dropped here this morning.  As instructed, we all have home-made “Welcome Home” signs, and a volunteer photographer is shooting pictures of dogs and their happy new owners for the RRT Facebook page.   Richard and I introduce ourselves to Greg, the owner/driver, who immediately connects us to Bubbles.  He makes a “be right back” gesture with his hand, disappears into the barking interior of the trailer, and returns a moment later with our new dog in his arms.

“Wow,” I say to Richard, smiling, “that’s some underbite.”

That’s okay;” Richard says, “for another four thousand dollars we could probably have it corrected.”

We’re still laughing as Greg hands the trembling, wagging dog to me.  “Hi, Bubbles,” I say.  “How do you feel about a new name?”  I clip my new leash onto my new dog’s new collar and together, we take our first walk.