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| Name: |
Mona
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Age: |
Five years old
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| Gender: |
Female |
Breed: |
Labrador Retriever mix |
| Home: |
Houston, Texas, USA |
In
January 2006, I decided to adopt a dog and had my heart set on
getting a Labrador. We had cats in our home and I needed a dog that
would be kind to them. And I wanted a dog that would walk or jog with me
outdoors. My husband and I prefer to adopt rescue animals, and I'd been
looking at several local agencies to find a Lab puppy or young dog. I
had read an article somewhere which claimed that big, black dogs are
reluctantly adopted because some people perceive them as vicious simply
because of their appearance. Therefore, according to this article,
large, black dogs get euthanized in large numbers. With these thoughts
in mind, I finally saw a six-month-old female black Lab mix in the local
dog pound. Once I interacted with her in the petting room at the
shelter, I could see she was the dog for me. This is how our wonderful
dog, Mona, became an important family member to us. Mona grew into a
healthy, muscled, obedient, dedicated and loving companion. She loves to
play games, chasing dog toys and a laser pen-light, and she gets at
least two walks every day.
Galveston Island is about an hour's drive from home, so we often bring
Mona with us to the Island for a day of walking along the seawall or
splashing in the Gulf waves. We have found a couple dog-friendly
restaurants in Galveston that will allow us to dine al fresco with Mona
resting by our feet while she remains on the leash. Mona is so
well-behaved that several waitresses have complimented her good manners.
Mona loves to take long car rides to East Texas where we visit family
who live on sprawling acres of pasture land and small hills. Mona loves
to run charging down the gentle slopes of the open land, running so fast
she sounds like a buffalo stampede of one! Although Mona was technically
"my" dog, she quickly attached herself to my husband, who formerly only
tolerated dogs, never really loving one until Mona changed his mind. Now
these two are inseparable, and although Mona loves everyone in the
family (even the cats), it's clear that she prefers the company of her
"Daddy." Now, we are going through some trying times as my husband has
been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma and is undergoing chemotherapy.
Cultivating a positive attitude certainly helps in a cancer fight, and
we are so grateful for the love and joy we receive from Mona and our
cats. Once upon a time, we rescued Mona from an uncertain fate at the
dog pound, and now she may save us by making us smile and laugh as we
remember each day is a gift to appreciate.
See more images of Mona!
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