Beth & George

Human: Beth
Canine: George
Location: San Francisco
Together since: 2003
Type: Boxer/Hound mix
Favorite dog group: Second Chance Pet Rescue

We weren't really looking for a dog, though I had a vague idea I might want one. Then a friend told me about George, a soulful boxer mix she'd just seen on a walk with her dog. He'd just been pulled out from a northern California shelter rather impulsively by a woman who'd fallen in love with him, and didn't want to leave him behind.

But she couldn't adopt him either and was trying to make arrangements with the San Francisco SPCA to take him into its program. In the meantime, she needed a foster home. I called her and offered to take him for a night.

He played with the kids all day and by the time my husband and I climbed into bed that night he was in our bed, right in the middle with his head on the pillow! I was in love.

But my husband, who was not an animal person, had not had enough (or any) time to get used to the idea of having a dog. The next day I reluctantly packed George into my car to take him back to his rescuer so she could drive him to the SPCA. While I was putting George in the car, my younger son was crying. "He is the perfect dog for us!"

I could not shake that comment, and apparently it showed. That evening my husband relented and said, "just get the dog."

Not so simple. Once George got into the SPCA, it was very hard to get him out of there. I called the SPCA every day for a week inquiring about George's progress. But he first had to be tested for health problems, be neutered, and then it was our turn to be examined by the adoption staff.

Finally, the people there agreed to release him to us and we went to pick him up, armed with paperwork. We had a wonderful reunion.

My son was right. He has turned out to be perfect for us!

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