2012 was a good year. I graduated from college, moved to Stafford, Texas and in with my boyfriend Zac. We didn’t really know anyone in the area and the apartment felt quiet. I then did what any reasonable person would do and jumped on Petfinder.com to see if there was a furry friend in my area that would like our home.
Well, I found my soulmate when I saw a robust, white dog with spotted ears. She looked like something I needed to squeeze and just like that, I knew she was the one. We adopted Penelope from Noah’s Ark Bayou Sanctuary in Alvin, Texas. She was about four years old, severely overweight, heartworm positive, riddled with skin cancer and had a lazy disposition; but she was mine.
We brought her home and we were instantly inseparable. Zac put Penelope on a diet and workout plan which consisted of walking down the stairs once a day (and carried all others) because that’s all she could manage. Over time Penelope had numerous surgeries to take care of her health issues and by the end of the year, we were looking at a different dog with a new lease on life.
Six years later and she’s still my very best girl. You can follow Penelope on Instagram @pink_white_plump_lovely.
By 2013 Penelope was quickly becoming a spoiled only child. Everyone and everything was living and breathing just for her. So, we started up the search again on, you guessed it, Petfinder.com. We knew Penelope needed a male counterpart that was bigger than Penelope, so she would be forced to get along. Penelope tends to think of herself as large and in charge. Noah’s Ark Bayou Sanctuary came up in our search and we had such a great experience the first time that we started looking at their adoptable dogs.
Even through my computer screen I could tell he was a shy boy. His big brown eyes were calling my name and we quickly found ourselves in Zac’s truck heading down the highway to Alvin, Texas.
Bagheera was timid when we arrived and had lived at the shelter for 4 years. He was one of the most tenured guests and we were nervous because Penelope tends to think of herself as everyone’s boss and we weren’t sure how she’d act. Penelope and Bagheera met and seemed unphased which was a shock. Turns out, they lived together the entire time they were at the shelter because Bagheera was the only dog Penelope could get along with. Meant to be? I think yes. Bagheera wasn’t sure about Zac and wouldn’t let the Zac pet him so I called him to me to see if he was more trustful of girls. He sniffed me cautiously and then BAAAAM, my face was covered in sloppy kisses.
You can probably guess the rest, but in case you can’t, Bagheera came home with us that day and we became a family of 4.
P.S. Zac quickly became Bagheera’s favorite and still holds that spot today
