Blue Ridge Country May/June 2022 - 10

MILL CREEK STORIES
French Kisses
A doggie dream come true.
By MOLLY DUGGER BRENNAN
am a professional dog trainer.
I know that because I get
paid for it. Once you cash a
check for something, you're
officially a pro at it. I am
also a professional writer because
this lovely magazine
sends me money for my columns,
which I have so much fun writing
for you. Sometimes the two
worlds collide and you get a story
about dogs, like this one.
As a person who is very familiar
with a lot of dog breeds, I have
a " bucket list " of dogs I'd like to
I
own some day. I have been fortunate enough to have
some of them fall into my lap and thoroughly enjoyed
them in the family. It always takes me a while to find the
right dog to join our pack. I search and search.
The reason it takes a long time for me to find just the
right dog is that I simply can't buy a dog. I just can't. I
have served on the board of a rescue group and I can't
buy a dog when so many spectacular dogs are available
through rescue. Even if you're looking for a specific breed
like I often do, 28 percent of the dogs in rescue are pure
bred. Rescue is the way to go, as far as I'm concerned.
One of my long-term bucket list residents was a
French bulldog. I have wanted one for decades. They
have become incredibly popular so they are snapped up
as soon as they are available. They are the most stolen
breed in the United States right now, that's how popular
and lucrative they are. I will pay any adoption fee but
I cannot bring myself to buy a pup. It's not like I could
afford a pup either. I have had Frenchies in my training
class that ranged in price from $3,000 to $6,000. Wow.
Just wow.
Of course, I told everyone I knew that I was looking for
a French bulldog. Everyone. Bingo! It paid off. A friend of
mine who works at the shelter called me one day. It was
10 BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
11:35 a.m. and she said, " Can you
be here by noon? "
Now, I live a fat 40 minutes
from the shelter. To make it in 25
minutes is impossible, unheard of.
I did it. I pulled into the parking lot
on the nose of noon and ran into
the lobby. What awaited me there?
The chubbiest, cutest, five-year-old
French bulldog. Jackpot!
How did such a desirable dog
end up in the shelter available for
a mere $250 adoption fee? It's a
funny story. This particular shelter
is very accommodating of pets
whose owners have found themselves
in jail. They'll hold the animals until the owners
make bond, or serve a short sentence. My Frenchie's
previous owner had recently indulged in a bit of felony
auto theft. Normally, a bond would be given and spitspot,
the animal would be returned. However, bond is
not given if one also has warrants out in six other states.
I think the courts see multiple states getting involved as
not a one-time mistake, but a very bad habit that needs
to be addressed.
Once the shelter was informed that this was a longterm
thing, and once no other family member said they
would take the animal, arrangements are made to put it
up for adoption. My dog was going up online as adoptable
at noon. Noon! That's a mid-day Cinderella event. At
12:01, poof, dog's gone.
I got there on time (don't ask me how) and adopted
my Dobby the Wonder Dog at noon. My friend tells me
that 80 people called to ask if he was adopted yet between
noon and 1:00 when the computer guy came back from
lunch and took the listing down.
Yep, that's right. I got my dream dog for a measly $250.
Three months later, his cornea ruptured and I had to pay
$5,000 for complicated eye surgery. There's no such thing
as a free (or even reasonably priced) dog.
http://www.BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
Blue Ridge Country May/June 2022

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