Dog Seeks Man

The longer I’ve work in veterinary medicine, the more I’ve come to believe that when it comes to acquiring a pet, it’s the animal that finds the human and not always the other way around. I don’t really have any solid religious beliefs but I think I fall somewhere between a Buddhist and a Christian. I believe in power of The Universe, in karma and I also believe that we each are a soul who is on a journey and we are all connected in some way. Each being that crosses my path, whether it’s human, dog, cat or rattlesnake, has a purpose for being there, even if that’s not always clear. I hear stories all the time of animals showing up on people’s porches or being found along the road and to me there is often no other explanation than this is a soul that needs to be in the person’s life. Sometimes the animal needs the human but sometimes and more often, in my opinion, the human needs the animal. I have seen people’s quality of life improve dramatically after acquiring a pet that they didn’t even plan to get.

It has become one of my favorite parts of my jobs to learn the story of how a pet and owner found each other. I used to feel hesitant to tell clients “I believe they find us and not the other way around” until I had the discussion enough times to know that there are lots of people who agree with me. There are many people I know who have had experiences similar to mine.

It may sound corny, but I truly believe that my dog is one of my soul mates. First of all, I’m a cat person but when he came into my life, I was in desperate need of a loyal companion and he was in need of physical care. In the 6 years he has been in my life, I have been through a lot of change and I know that I was able to be stronger more independent person than I would have been if I had been living without him. He has provided me with comfort, companionship and even a sense of protection at times. All are things that I really needed. Plus he has a ridiculously funny personality and we are quite a match.

Even when I’m having a bad day, I try to remember that just by doing my job I’m encouraging that human/animal bond and helping people care for their animal counterparts. And then I’m always greeted at the door by my best buddy!