I took a job as a receptionist for a vet almost five decades ago. As an enthusiastic animal lover, I accepted the position on the condition that I wouldn't have to assist with any wounded animals. I couldn't bear to see any creature in pain.
At the end of my first week, we were closing the office for the day when a young man ran up to us holding a severely injured Doberman Pinscher puppy in his arms and begging us to save his life. The four-month-old pup had been hit by a car.
The doctor and I ran back into the operating room. The only place the skin was still attached to this poor little animal's body was around one shoulder. The vet worked tirelessly for what seemed like hours, sewing him back together again. That was the easy part. The puppy had broken multiple bones, including his spine. If he survived the next few days, we were quite sure he would never walk again.
That day forever changed my life. The vet mentored me, and I became his assistant in all things medical. One of my first jobs was to give that Doberman puppy daily physical therapy. I remember moving his tiny legs to try to keep his muscles from withering.
Weeks went by until one day, I felt this little fighter push back ever so slightly. And he continued to push back till he could finally use his legs.
Fast-forward about a year. I walked into the clinic's crowded waiting room and called the name of the next client. Suddenly, a huge Doberman who had been standing quietly with his owner on the opposite side of the room ran toward me. I found myself pinned against the wall with this magnificent dog standing on his hind legs, his front paws on my shoulders, washing my face with abundant and joyful kisses!
I still tear up in amazement at the display of love and gratitude the dog had for me that day all those years ago. I went on to be a vet for 14 years, and since retirement, I've volunteered at a no-kill animal shelter. In all the time that has passed and all the experiences I have had, I've never met a dog who didn't know it had been rescued in one way or another.
