Dual Rescue

Nala casually walked over to the silver-fenced wall. Her brown, almond-shaped eyes looked up at Kacie and Lisa and then turned around and walked back to where she’d just come from.

“And what about her?” Kacie asked Lisa, who was her assigned counselor.

“Well, her name is Nala,” Lisa answered as she thumbed through her clipboard. “She’s a year and a half and actually is one who’s been with us the longest—over 100 days—”

Kacie’s eyes widened.

“But she’s a really sweet girl,” Lisa said. “Seems to mostly keep to herself but hasn’t had issues with any of the others here.”

Kacie studied Nala, who seemed cautious, standing towards the back of the fenced area, eyes still shifting between the two before her. “Why has she been here for so long?” she asked. 

“Well, I think it’s just that she’s a bit more…nondescript—she might not really stand out to people like some of the other breeds, which is a shame, because she seems like such a great one.”

With medium-length fur and a golden-sienna coat, Nala did look like your classic canine. Listed as a “terrier-retriever mix” since her specific breeds were unknown, she had a very traditional “dog” face, with a protruding snout, dotted with a pinkish-brown oval for keen sniffing. On either side of her almond eyes, covered in blonde eyelashes, were triangular, floppy ears. At the end of her long, slender dorsal was a somewhat fluffy tail about an inch-and-a-half wide—enough for a child to grab and it fill his whole hand—that half-curled when she walked on her high, thin legs.

She certainly wasn’t an unattractive dog, but still, Lisa was right—Nala also wasn’t the “adorable” Maltese-type, or an exotic Husky, or the fierce Pit Bull or Rottweiler more often sought out or even just noticed by prospective pet owners.

She was the kind of dog that, when you Googled the word “dog”, would probably be among the first to show in the image results.

Classic.

“Do you know how she got here?” Kacie wondered next.

“Well,” said Lisa, “Nala actually has quite a story—a rather unfortunate one for her and, again, a shame, considering.” She smiled towards Nala. “She even was adopted from here before—”

“She was?” asked Kacie.

“Yes. So, she originally was with an elderly man. Unfortunately, that man apparently became ill and less-mobile at some point, and his daughter knew he could no longer give her the time, attention, and exercise she needed.” Lisa peered at Nala as she continued. "He’d become too sick and frail to care for her, so, she eventually gave Nala to a nice family who lived across the street. She thought the matching would be especially perfect since they had young children who might be able to better-match Nala’s pup energy.”

“Yeah, that makes sense,” said Kacie. “So, what happened then?”

“Well, that family actually already had a dog when Nala arrived—a German Shepard, to be exact, and he apparently wasn’t too crazy about a new furry family member joining the fold. Even though they said Nala was fine with their kids, she and the German Shepard didn’t get along, and the original canine of the house won. And that was when that family brought her here.”

“Oh, wow,” said Kacie as she reflected. “And she’s been here since—”

“Well, no, no, not exactly,” said Lisa.

“What do you mean?”

“So, she was here for a little while until someone new, a man, came and adopted her. This man was far younger than her original, elderly owner, and he was very active and athletic, so he especially looked forward to having Nala accompany him on his future runs and hikes. He also was single with no other pets, so, it seemed like she’d finally found her perfect match all-around, except—”

“Except what?” Kacie’s eyes swelled with curiosity.

“Well, it turned out Nala had a little too much puppy energy for this man. Not long after the adoption, he came home from work one day and saw Nala had destroyed his curtains.”

“Oh, goodness,” said Kacie, as she looked towards Nala again.

“Yeah, I know,” said Lisa. “Unfortunately, that was one time too many for him… And he brought her back shortly after.” Her face dampened, her eyes still fixed on Nala. As Nala held her gaze, she seemed moderately aware she was being talked about.

“Wow,” said Kacie as her eyes and lips also sank. “That’s so sad.”

Lisa gently nodded. “Three different homes, not even including this shelter, and she isn’t even two yet.”

“And now, she’s been here for over 100 days…” Kacie said somberly and stood there, thinking.

Part of her was interested. She had been browsing and researching dogs for weeks, visiting the local shelters and scouring their websites. The search for a new furry family member had turned out to be a lot more taxing and time-consuming than she had anticipated, and she'd decided on her way to this shelter that, if she turned up short again, she would probably take a break for a while.

And here she was now. Looking at, contemplating Nala.

She did have more questions. And at least one concern.

Kacie asked Lisa the likelihood of Nala being destructive, given the infamous “curtains” incident.

“Well, I think in that case,” Lisa said, “the man was gone a lot during the day. And she was, after all, a younger puppy. I think if she just gets a decent amount of exercise, she should be fine.”

Kacie bit her lip, unsure if that response quelled her concern. But she did consider that, working in her favor was the fact that she worked from home. So, she would be home with Nala most of the time and have more time to take her on walks, help her expel some of that energy.

She then asked how much bigger Nala was supposed to get, noting that she appeared like a young golden retriever or lab, sure to currently be only a third of the size she would eventually grow into. And, since Kacie lived in a one-bedroom apartment, she preferred not to have a dog too big.

But she also didn’t want one too small. She had this fear she might accidentally sit or step on the poor thing, and… Who knew how that would turn out.

She didn’t care to take that risk.

Given her fitness aspirations, she also really preferred a dog who was able to be active with her outside, just as well as it could be chill inside. And she knew the chances of that with a Yorkie or a Shih Tzu weren’t great.

“Oh, this actually is it,” Lisa said almost proudly of Nala’s size.

“Really?” Kacie asked, surprised. This dog was only about 25 pounds.

“Yep,” said Lisa.

Thirty minutes and a decent bit of paperwork later, Kacie looked in her rearview mirror at those almond-shaped eyes. Outside, the rain that’d since started picked up and poured down on her moving Honda.

Kacie admittedly felt a bit weirded out, being in such a close, small space, at the mercy of this strange furry creature sitting directly behind her. A creature connected in its bloodline to wolves.

Not to mention, Kacie had never even owned or taken care of a dog before. Growing up, she’d badly wanted one, but her mom, who was terrified of dogs, wouldn’t allow it.

After Kacie graduated from college, she thought this might be her chance. She was out and on her own and could finally have a dog to call her very own. Unfortunately, she and her boyfriend at the time soon moved in together, and it turned out he also didn’t want a dog around the house, believing it would be too much of a hassle to care for and clean up after.

Kacie’s lifelong dream of all things paws would have to be paused once again.

That was until, just a few months before this day at the shelter, she and her guy had broken up and moved apart.

She was free again.

No longer living under Mom’s rules. No longer living under a romantic partner’s preferences. Now, it was all about her own. 

And this time, she was getting a dog.

And here, she had finally done it. Yet, at the worst-possible time, some of her mother’s irrational fear crept up in her.

As the dark skies above cast a far-reaching shadow, like a large net, and the rain steadily increased with each passing second, this unfamiliar creature behind her seemed to also look grungier than she remembered, with each passing second. Just a little darker. The creature’s rain-matted coat certainly didn’t help.

The road ahead competed with the backseat rear view for Kacie’s attention the entire 15 elongated minutes home. 

At the same time that her nerves were up, Nala’s eyes were also wide and uneasy. Who is this human? And where are we going? they seemed to scream.

Fifteen minutes and three flights of stairs later, they arrived home without incident. No Cujo-styled carjacking, no weather-induced crash. Kacie and Nala had both survived the first nerve-racking challenge in their new life together.

“Welcome to your new home!” Kacie said as excitedly as she could muster once they were inside.

She was excited, just also… nervous.

Nala barely noticed. She was already busy inspecting the scene, her snout carefully taking in and analyzing the scent of her new home room by room, corner by crevice.

After the end of that first day, it was time to go to bed, and Kacie was faced with another challenging predicament in this new life of pet ownership: Where Nala would sleep.

She’d already decided she definitely wouldn’t feel comfortable letting Nala sleep in her bedroom. But she also sensed Nala wouldn’t be too thrilled sleeping too much away, in the living room, by herself.

So, she decided she would sleep in the hallway leading up to her bedroom—leashed, of course, with the other end tied around the doorknob of the nearby bathroom.

On a huge tarp Kacie laid down. Just in case.

For any possible accidents.

She placed at the beginning of the covered hallway Nala’s big, fluffy pillow of a bed and helped guide her onto it, where the dog stood awkwardly.

“Lay down, girl,” Kacie said. “Lay. Lay,” she motioned down to the bed.

She sighed and hoped once she went in her room, Nala would get the hint. The dog looked like she definitely didn’t wasn’t too keen on being left alone again, but Kacie left the hallway light on and proceeded with her plan nonetheless.

“Goodnight, Nala!” she waved.

Surely, she’s going to come back, she seemed to read from Nala’s eyes before she cracked her door from inside.

But Kacie did not. At least not until the morning.

That next morning, Kacie rose. As soon as she opened her eyes, a surreal reality smacked her in her stale morning face.

Oh my God, she thought. I’m really a dog owner! I have a dog!!

She jumped out of bed, returned with that now-all-too-familiar uneasiness she’d felt driving home with Nala.

What was she going to find beyond her bedroom door? 

A giant urinated, defected mess, with Nala passed out in the middle of it? Had Nala managed to break loose from the leash overnight and was now running buck wild around the rest of the apartment, destroying everything in her wake?

Like some curtains?

Was she getting ready for Kacie to open the bedroom door, so she could come barging and attack her at full force?

Kacie took a deep breath and stepped out.

And there she was.

Laying down. On her bed.

Still leashed.

No urine. No defecation.

Just one dog anxiously awaiting her owner to wake up, rejoin, and free her.

Over the next few days, Kacie loosened some of her Nala sleep requirements.

She brought Nala and her bed closer and closer in the hallway to Kacie’s bedroom door.

Then she brought her in her bedroom but made sure she still put down the tarp.

And then, she ditched the tarp.

She first had Nala leashed on the side opposite of her own bed, ensuring enough distance from her vulnerable nightly slumber. 

And then, she ditched the leash.

Then, Kacie made sure she only slept facing the wall right beside her bed, with her back facing Nala. Not only was she trying to minimize the chances of her face being cannibalized by this dog in the middle of the night, she also didn’t want to wake up to a big, wet, slobbery “kiss” in the morning.

She then added the position of sleeping on her back, which allowed Nala on Kacie’s left side.

As time went on, there was only one time that Nala attempted to jump on Kacie’s bed, and only while she wasn’t in it.

“No! No!! Get down, girl!!” Kacie scolded as she caught her while walking in the room.

Nala seemed to have gotten the hint. She never tried, without permission, again.

Since she’d never attempted to jump on Kacie’s bed, or Kacie, as she slept, Kacie pretty soon stopped caring about which way she slept.

Then, one night, as she sat on her bed before turning in, she looked at Nala and motioned for her to come to her. Nala trotted over to Kacie and then sat before her.

Kacie’s hands patted her own knees, signaling for Nala to jump her front legs onto Kacie’s thighs. Smiling, Kacie massaged the top and sides of Nala’s head for a few moments.

Then, she patted at the foot of her bed—signaling for Nala to jump onto it. 

Nala seemed confused at first. You sure? her almond eyes inquired.

“Yes, it’s okay, girl, really” Kacie said calmly, as she patted the bed again. “Come on. You can come. It’s okay.” She prolonged her genuine smile, trying to emphasize that it really was.

After a few short additional moments of hesitation, Nala swiftly and eagerly jumped up, as if to say Alright, you don’t have to tell me twice!!

She circled once before laying, comfortably and curled on the warm comforter.

It was unspoken between them: This was her bed now, too.

Kacie’s smile brightened, and she gently caressed Nala’s fur from bum to brow, to give her a final confirmation that… This really was okay.

She soon pulled back her covers, slipped under, and drifted off into dreamland as her furry family member warmed her feet.

From then on, Nala alternated between sleeping in her own bed and, more often, sleeping at the tail of Kacie’s.

On one of those later nights, Kacie pulled her feet from beneath Nala and sat up under the comforter, causing Nala’s almond eyes to widen with curiosity.

Kacie leaned over and extended her hand towards Nala, smiling while she let Nala lick the back of it, something that always made her four-legged friend visibly relaxed. And something this two-legged being would’ve never thought to do, let alone allowed, once upon a time.

Kacie reached out with both hands in a sudden movement and scooped Nala into her arms. 

She laid back down with the girl comfortably nestled close to her. And they soon both drifted off.

A year later, Kacie found herself looking at a picture the shelter had taken of her and Nala that first day that seemed so long ago, when they’d entered each other’s lives. 

In the picture, her eyes were sad, red, and strained. It looked like she hadn’t slept in a while. Her hair was disheveled. 

Her overweight belly protruded from her shirt, and her arms were flabby. Cellulite dotted sections of her thighs, with the material of the shorts she wore that day tightened beyond capacity around them. Her face was puffy, and it was held up by thick, hunched shoulders and a rounded neck.

Perhaps her previous relationship at that time, and its subsequent breakup, had taken more of a toll on her than she’d ever thought.

What she saw in that photo was a person overfed—probably largely from emotional eating and improperly cared for.

A person stressed. And likely depressed.

Additionally, although she may have had an inkling of her own state at the time, one she didn’t was that of Nala. She didn’t see it that first day, but in this photo, her dog seemed somewhat emaciated. Her long dorsal was unusually thin—she could see the outline of her bones protruding through her coat, which itself bore a sort of dullness. Her eyes and cheeks appeared sunken. 

She looked like a dog underfed, maybe under-cared-for.

A dog stressed. And likely depressed.

Kacie stood in her room, looking up at Nala’s now-rich golden coat as she curled up, peacefully napping in the middle of Kacie’s bed.

No longer were bones protruding through her skin. Her wider dorsal showed a healthy thickness and led up to a face that was now appropriately filled out. Healthy fat had filled the spaces around her eyes and in her cheek bones.

Kacie now saw a dog properly fed, well taken-care-of.

She now saw a dog at peace.

As she grabbed Nala’s lavender-colored leash and collar embellished with sparkles and got ready to awaken Nala from her peaceful midday slumber for their daily hour-long stroll around the neighborhood, she looked up at her own reflection in the full-length mirror on the opposite wall, observing a more slimmed face, with a toned jawline, neck, and shoulders. Increased muscle she’d acquired well-defined her arms and legs, which no longer sported any cellulite in sight. And her complexion. Kacie’s skin glowed like a bright summer sunset.

This… was now a human at peace.