Story #36: The Day Norman Found Me
As told by Chris Beebe, Senior Director of Community Engagement
An Unexpected Welcome
I walked back into my office one day expecting the usual routine. Emails to answer. Volunteers to connect with. Instead, I stopped in my tracks.
Sitting there was a puppy with enormous paws and the softest, most soulful face I had ever seen. Norman was only five months old, already fifty pounds, and somehow both clumsy and calm all at once. He looked up at me like he had been waiting for that exact moment.
His eyes were kind. Curious. Steady in a way that wrapped around my heart before I even realized what was happening.
We’ve been a two-dog household for a long time, and we recently lost one of our dogs to cancer.
The house felt quieter than it should have, and my heart still carried that heavy, familiar ache. I was not sure I was ready to welcome another dog. Grief has a way of making you hesitate, even when love is calling.
And yet, Norman was there.
A volunteer took a photo of us together. In it, Norman is leaning into me like he already belongs. I sent the picture to my husband with a simple message.
“What do you think?”
That night, Norman came home with me.
From day one, Norman has been that dog.
The one who greets everyone like an old friend. The one who believes, without question, that every person he meets is worthy of love. And somehow, everyone feels it and gives it right back to him.
He carries joy with him wherever he goes. Not loudly. Just steadily. The kind that settles into a room and makes people feel at ease.
When we decided to pursue certification through the Healing Paws program, it was not instant.
It took patience. Growth. Two tries. We learned together how to slow down, focus, and show up with intention.
Last October, at three years old, Norman officially became a Healing Paws dog.
His favorite visits are the ones where children read to him. He listens with his whole body. Head tilted. Eyes soft. Tail gently thumping. As if every story is the most important thing he has ever heard.
Watching children relax around him, find confidence, and open up with him beside them never gets old. Norman does not rush them. He simply stays.
And that is where the magic happens.
I have always wanted a dog I could take places.
A dog who could bring comfort and joy just by being himself. Anderson Humane was the first place I ever knew that made that kind of connection possible.
Norman and the Healing Paws program are living proof of Anderson Humane’s mission: To champion the welfare of animals and improve the lives of people through programs that create mutually beneficial human-animal connections, inspiring kindness and respect throughout our community.
I have been with Anderson Humane for nearly five years, and what continues to inspire me is that this organization is so much more than a dog and cat shelter. From wildlife rehabilitation to human services programs, fostering, volunteering, and community outreach, there is truly a place for everyone.
It is an honor to be part of a program that creates moments like this. Moments where a dog finds his purpose. Where people feel seen and comforted. Where connection quietly changes lives.
If you’ve read this far and think your pup might have what it takes to improve the lives of people, I can’t recommend Healing Paws enough. Sign up to have your pup evaluated…you won’t be sorry.
Norman was waiting that day. And somehow, I was too.
Ready to start your own rescue story?
Meet adoptable animals at Anderson Humane by visiting ahconnects.org/adopt, or help make the next 60 stories possible by donating in honor of our 60th Anniversary.
Interested in becoming a Healing Paws Volunteer?
Visit ahconnects.org/healing-paws/ for more information on how you can get involved.
