Story #58: From Shelter to Soulmates and Sidekicks
As told by Regina Salvador, Adopter
We had not owned a dog since March of 2017.
That was when we had to say goodbye to our beloved husky, the second one we had adopted years earlier through Free Spirit Husky Rescue. Losing him was devastating. Through tears, I told my sister I was never getting another dog. I could not go through that heartbreak again.
She looked at me and said, “But they add so much to our lives.”
For years, I insisted we were not ready.
My longtime friend Kim Saxton volunteers at Anderson Humane.
Almost every week, she would text me a photo of a dog, and I would respond the same way.
We’re not ready.
Then, in the spring of 2024, she told me there were husky puppies at the shelter. They had named them after Seinfeld characters: Elaine, Kramer, George, and Jerry.
We had not had a puppy in decades. But something shifted.
My husband and I went to the Anderson adoption center inside Petco in Bloomingdale to meet the only puppy from the litter who had not yet been adopted: Jerry.
He had piercing blue eyes, the classic husky mask, and that fluffy, curly tail. The rest of him was a mystery mix.
We arrived just before closing, and I asked if we could go home and sleep on it. Alexis, who was working that night, kindly offered to hold him for us. I promised I would call as soon as they opened in the morning.
That night, I did the math.
Puppies are expensive.
Dogs are expensive.
I convinced myself it was not practical.
But I barely slept.
I kept thinking about what my sister had said. They add so much to our lives.
The next morning, we went back and brought Jerry home. My husband renamed him Scout.
Scout was full of energy from the start. I saw that Anderson offered a weekly puppy playgroup and was excited to join, but he had some minor tummy issues at first that delayed us. When we finally made it to his first session at the hardware store, trainer Deb Merrill gently informed me that Scout had already aged out of the puppy group.
I was crushed.
What I did not know was that Deb had a plan. She had invited two “big girls” to meet Scout. Angel, the skinniest shepherd I had ever seen, and Fiona, a sweet pit mix. Based on what Kim had told her about Scout, Deb felt confident they would get along.
She was right.
Scout tore around with them like he had found his long-lost best friends. It was pure joy watching them run and play together.
Deb decided to create a playgroup specifically for larger dogs.
As the weather warmed up, we gathered behind the shelter and watched these pups romp around. In the summer, Deb even brought out a pool. In the fall, the format shifted to park walks, which Scout did not love. He preferred running and wrestling over walking politely in a line.
By then, I had exchanged contact information with Angel’s mom, Katie, and Fiona’s mom, Tiffany. We decided to keep the playdates going on our own.
That was the fall of 2024, and we have kept it up ever since.
Sometimes all three dogs can make it. Sometimes just two. It is often last-minute and weather-dependent. But when they see each other, it is like a reunion. They light up. They are genuinely happy.
And honestly, so are we.
I cannot describe the joy of watching our dogs play with their friends. Through Scout, I have met incredible people who love their dogs fiercely and would do just about anything for them.
I am grateful to Kim for continuing to send those texts.
I am grateful to Deb for bringing these dogs together.
And I am grateful to everyone at Anderson Humane who creates opportunities not just for adoption, but for connection.
Scout just turned two in mid-February.
Every night before bed, my husband tells him to “get your guy,” which is a small, ratty stuffed pumpkin he has carried since he was a puppy, and come upstairs. He does, as long as all three of us are heading up together. He settles into his bed for what we call a tummy rub marathon and tries to block us from leaving the room, as if he wants the moment to last forever.
There is fur everywhere in my house and my car.
He can be stubborn and aloof, just like a husky should be.
And I would not change a thing.
The dog I once swore I would never get has become one of the greatest blessings in our lives.
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 Volunteer?
Visit ahconnects.org/volunteer/ for more information on how you can get involved.
Interested in our training classes?
Visit us at ahconnects.org/training-classes/ for more information or email behaviorhotline@ahconnects.org
