Stryker

It’s been almost two years… it was one of the worst weeks of my life for sure. We were losing my dad after a battle with his heart and a few other things going on inside his body. He tried so hard to get better but in the end, died in the arms of my youngest son. In the meantime I had got a message from the OKC shelter asking if I would take in an injured husky that was set to be euthanized at 330pm that very day. I said yes, that I would rescue him in my dads honor. I put a rescue tag on him to keep them from euthanizing him and began the process to pick him up and get him better.

When I arrived at the shelter to get him, he jumped up off the floor like he knew that I was coming for him, like he was waiting for me. I smiled at him and we walked out of there with his dead leg flopping around. He even hopped up into my van like he had been born with that floppy leg. It turns out the injury was old enough and bad enough to need a complete amputation. Stryker knew it, I knew it and we were both ok with the decision.

Over the next 6 months Stryker bonded deep with my family, we watched him heal and thrive and let him sleep in our beds. I debated keeping him all to myself, after all, he was named and rescued in honor of my dad, but I knew that would be selfish, that he could have a better life in his own home and not have to share with a bunch of other huskies like him, so I started searching for the perfect family. As always, I didn’t have to search far, the right family was there when the timing was perfect so off he went to live his bestest life.

This morning I woke up to Stryker, now Jace, sleeping at my feet. I gave him a hug and let the memories of his rescue come flooding back. I told him I loved him and thank him for making me a better rescuer. On Sunday he will go back home with his family when they finish their trip and I will look forward to the next time he can come and hang out while his family travels. These opportunities are my favorite part of running this rescue, the time I get to spend with them after their neglect and abuse is forever over and knowing they really are living their best lives.

Stryker will always hold a huge piece of my heart and I am grateful for the volunteer at the shelter who made it so that Stryker got another chance in life. Years and years from now when he is old and ready to go, my dad will be there to great him at that rainbow bridge, but for now, Stryker gets to spend the rest of his long life in the arms of his forever family. Now that’s rescue.