Follow Up Friday: Just Add Love

Taylor was the eighth dog of 2018. You may remember his arrival. At three years of age, this Golden Retriever weighed just 40.8 pounds. He was emaciated and scared, but he instantly clung to our people.

Within minutes a tiny grin appeared. That was his true heart shining through.

There was nothing medically wrong with Taylor. Why he was so thin is still a mystery to us. We know he was kept in a kennel during the day – which we understand was long. But the surrendering reason was that he had killed a chicken. Perhaps he was hungry.

The line on the surrender form says: What would be the ideal home for this dog? The answer: “Someone that will love him.” Maybe that was a clue to his past – or perhaps, just a genuine wish for his future. Either way, it was fulfilled in the form of one of our volunteers. Taylor had seen enough of a kennel, and it wouldn’t be the best place for an obviously nervous dog that desperately needed to gain weight. So he went home with Jessica as a foster. As if.

A month later, he has gained ten pounds and is well on his way to full health. All he needed was love.

Most importantly, that tiny hint of a grin has turned into a full-blown smile.


Taylor is now Roo – named for the adorable, bouncy, baby kangaroo featured in Winnie the Pooh.

He’s goofy and playful like a puppy instead of a three-year-old.


From the moment Jessica and Taylor met, he was destined to be a foster failure. Taylor has indeed found “someone that will love him” – forever.

“As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen.” – A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

Published by

Ogee

I am a nascent gardener, rescuer, and photographer, chronicling the journey of the dogs at Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary near Sacramento, CA - and the Memorial Garden we have devoted to them.

23 thoughts on “Follow Up Friday: Just Add Love”

  2. I love stories like this one, they always make my day. God Bless Jessica and her beautiful Roo! May they have many, many wonderful years together. Wonderful story!

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  3. Great story. We really do need more of these kinds of stories to reinforce the fact that there are many people in our world who are unselfish, and freely give of themselves; show compassion and sensitivity etc. It is so easy to become totally negative based on the average news report.

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  5. After yesterday’s news from Florida, I can’t imagine reading anything more uplifting or fun or good for the soul. Hard to tell who’s happier, Jessica or Roo. The photos really show that they are a perfect match. Glad to see that love and kindness and compassion are still alive and well. Enjoy your forever home Roo!
    •••Ginger•••

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    1. Alive and well. But we all may need to work harder to make ourselves heard so “alive and well” is extended to our human friends as well. Especially children.

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  11. Roo is now in puppy class, at 3 he is starting a new life all over again from the beginning. So it’s appropriate he starts with other bouncy puppies and enjoys playing and roughhousing. He is a doll!

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  18. Beautiful!! Wonderful boy, wonderful new mom and wonderful story with so much happiness still to come!! ❤️❤️❤️

    Reply
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