12 Years

 October 11, 2013, I stood at a hanger at YVR waiting for a dog crate arrive. A crate holding a dog I had never met. A dog I had only seen in 2 grainy photos. A dog who would become my whole world. We drove to Vancouver airport, filled out the paperwork and payed the GST on this dog and, now I waited. Waited while he was unloaded from the cargo hold of a KLM aircraft and transported to the cargo hanger. 

I felt twitchy and uneasy while I waited - then a man came forward and asked for the receipt for him. I handed it over and he pointed to a cart with a huge crate on it. I couldn't see inside yet as the place wasn't very bright. My friend and I wheeled the cart outside and we cut the zip ties off of the gate on the crate. I cautiously opended the door and out popped Harvey's head. It was way larger than I expected. He wasn't interested in saying hi or meeting me - he wanted to sniff. That was one thing I was warned about - he loved to sniff. While waiting at the Kuwait City airport he slipped his collar and ran away. He was only caight because he stopped to sniff.  


I clipped his leash on to his second hand collar that was much too big for him. We  walked him out to the grassy area by the building. First he peed a lot and he sniffed more. It was easy to tell that he had been undersocialized and lacked a lot of dog skills. I kneelled in front of him and tried to make eye contact he refused so I grabbed his head and gave him a big kiss and he let me. That was a huge step forward.


That was the begining of 11 and a half years of love and friendship. A partnership that we both became fully invested in. We became brothers and supported each other fully. Right to the end. 

I miss him so much. I cannot find the words to explain how his not being here makes me feel. 

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