I can’t father children. While that means there are no unplanned pregnancies in my past, it also means there are no planned pregnancies in my future. With so many of my peers starting families lately, there is a hole that remains in my heart and, honestly, always will. That’s why I needed someone like Sean in my life.
My last dog, a rescued black lab named Hoogie, died mere days before my first stroke a few years ago. I felt that, with my health then in shambles, he held on to life for as long as he could—nearly 18 years—until he couldn’t any longer. As he lay dying in my arms, his brown eyes said “I tried, dad…I tried.”
A couple of months ago, my ladyfriend was perusing the dogs on the Country Roads Animal Rescue site when she came across a big-headed mutt named Sean. Coming from a troubled background, we decided to foster him but, after only a few days, we had completely failed, deciding to adopt him and make him a permanent part of our lives.
Country Roads may not be an animal rescue that you’ve heard of, but in about five years they’ve saved well over 5,000 dogs. Founded by Maria Latham—herself a mother of nine adopted dogs—she said she believes that “every single dog has a purpose to serve to a human” and I agree.