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In late June of 2004 I received a phone call from the women in St Martin who have been doing the upkeep of the [now defunct] local shelter and caring for the neglected animals there. It seemed that the government on the island was coming in to shut down the shelter and euthanize all the animals. They were in an emergency situation where they had to get these animals out and yet had nowhere to send them. Since I had taken on a few animals in the past they called to see if there was any way I could take on more. Of course I said yes and that began an adventure like none I have ever been on.
Due to the dire nature of the situation I agreed to take on as many as they could send me. I felt they could send more if they sent puppies, so several days later I got what I asked for. American Airlines agreed to help cargo six puppies to me in Seattle in order to find good homes for them all. I have never experienced such kindness and personal attention from a company in my life. Even the head of customs at JFK called to report on the puppies' health and well being and to inform me that they had made their connection. It meant so much to me to know this information and know that they were so well taken care of.
Upon arrival, in the middle of the night, these little puppies were so excited to be here and hungry, but first thing's first….BATH TIME. They were absolutely covered in mess and dumped over water bowls so off to the bathtub they all went. Each and every one of these dogs was exceptional and you could see it. However, one of them stood out from the rest. That one was a little Shepherd mix named Leroy.
Leroy was a gentle soul who didn't put up a fuss at all in his bath and snuggled into the towel we were drying him with and promptly fell asleep. This sweetness of temper did not change over the weeks as we got to know him and everyone who came to meet the puppies was completely in love with him. He truly stood out from the rest. He played well with the other dogs, he was very social with all humans and yet quite content to just play with a toy by himself. Friends came and went, people looking for a puppy came and went and still Leroy remained. One day, a friend of mine who works for Nordstrom came by to visit and get what she called her "puppy fix". She loved all of them and brought them all toys and chewies to play with. Off she went and not a thought was given to the effect that these puppies had made on her that day. Apparently, the impact was bigger than we imagined, for several days later I received a phone call from her. It seemed that Nordstrom was to set up a photo shoot for a national children's magazine and they needed a puppy for the shot. In the past they had always used a purebred dog and received numerous phone calls after the photos came out as to where to get one of the puppies. My friend decided that after meeting these dogs she wanted to use one of them for the magazine shoot in order to help promote the adoption of shelter dogs and mixed breeds versus the always desirable purebreds. Without hesitation she inquired about Leroy. She felt he would be perfect for the shoot and liked his coloring saying that it would show up well on film. Above all, she felt that his sweet temperament would fit well in a situation with children. She was right!
The very next Monday Leroy and I took off for our big adventure. He was given a bath and a pep talk before his big debut. Once on the set he got the star treatment. He was outfitted with a new leash and collar and given water to drink and treats to chew on. What a lucky dog! The wait was longer than we had anticipated so we took several walks around the area and lots of little cat naps. When the time came for Leroy to go onto the set he did it like a pro. He wasn't anxious or scared and interacted with the children perfectly. He walked around the kids and got them tangled up in his leash which really made for a fun time for all, not to mention some great shots. The day ended with Leroy sleeping in my friend's lap and working his magic on her too after having own over the entire crew. It was an exciting day for all of us.
Being new to this whole photo shoot industry, I didn't know quite what to expect once we were done. Apparently, they have to go through all the shots and decide on which one they would actually use for the magazine and that may or may not have included a shot that our Leroy was in. As the weeks went by we got more and more excited to find out whether or not he made the cut. The phone call came and sure enough Leroy had done it. He made the magazine! We were all jumping around and yelling and so unbelievably overwhelmed by all that had happened since these dogs had arrived. Leroy deserved this and the idea that it could get exposure for the other dogs in need was just too much to comprehend. Our superstar had no idea what had just happened, but we could barely contain ourselves.
The best part of this story is that my friend who made this all happen is the one who eventually adopted Leroy. He now lives in the lap of luxury with his brother Otis and sister Lola. He still has no idea the impact he has made, but is the happiest (and naughtiest) puppy on the planet.
Not a bad ending for a dog that was dumped over the fence at a shelter far away in a tiny box the size of a 2 liter bottle. If it weren't for people like the ones on St Martin, American Airlines and the wonderful customs agents at JFK this never would have happened and Leroy and his five friends would have never had a chance at the lives they have now. We are all very grateful!!!
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