By Janet McAfee
Dog lovers around the world celebrated National Dog Day for the first time on August 26, 2019. The purpose of this holiday is to bring awareness of the plight of homeless dogs and to encourage their adoption. National Dog Day honors these most loyal and loving creatures. We love them dearly, and they return love to us humans in an unlimited and unconditional way.
In 2024, Facebook was flooded with even more adorable photos of our canine best friends on National Dog Day on August 26. Some folks used the occasion to feature photos of shelter dogs needing homes. One very special rescue dog was posted on Facebook for the holiday with the byline, “If there was a Bachelor television show for dogs, my adorable girl would get a rose.”
The gorgeous photo brought back memories. It was December 2011, and I was on a shelter run for Loving All Animals. I had already selected two dogs to rescue from the San Bernardino City Shelter when my eye was drawn to another kennel housing a small white matted Terrier/Poodle. The dog was jumping up and down in a frenzy to get my attention as if on a spring. She ran circles in jubilant ecstasy when we went to a visiting area. I wasn’t planning to rescue three dogs that day but trusted that one more foster parent would materialize if we took this precious pup. The late beloved Cookie (Katherine) Briney instantly agreed to foster the additional dog.
It was the Christmas season, and we named the dog Noel. Noel attended a few adoption events, greeting folks with her boundless happy energy, but surprisingly was not selected. However, the perfect home was waiting, a home greatly in need of some holiday cheer.
Lulu and her son recently lost their 21-yr-old dog and two senior cats. They were considering getting a male, short haired, large size dog. Upon meeting Noel, they weren’t sure she was the right match. However, the dog’s happiness was contagious, and she soon made them laugh with her playful antics. They named her “Buddy” because she became their best friend, the greatest little buddy they could ever imagine.
Lulu recalls, “This spunky little dog melted my heart almost immediately. At the time, I was going through the end of a 30-year marriage, and this dog was key to bringing back a sense of love into my life. Loving All Animals saved her from the shelter, but Buddy really saved us. Buddy brings nothing but joy to everyone she meets. She has a hilarious way of charging around with her stuffed toys and making sure I see her. She is like my shadow, always by my side, and the love I feel from her is overwhelming. Buddy is a cherished member of the family. She has her own pillow and blanket on my bed and stays by my side every night. I can’t begin to describe how much this dog means to me.”
Every day is National Dog Day for Buddy. Every day for Buddy is filled with celebration and joy over the small pleasures in life. Now a senior dog, she still runs around the house with the abandoned energy of a puppy. They say rescue dogs are “grateful” at getting their second chance, and Buddy’s grateful heart thanks her humans every day with loving loyalty. It’s nearly impossible to feel sad with the joy Buddy brings when she enters the room.
You can contact Loving All Animals at (760) 834-7000 and view their adoptable dogs at www.lovingallanimals.org. You can contact the San Bernardino City Shelter at (909) 384-1304 and view their adoptable dogs at www.sbcityanimals.org. You can contact the Riverside County Coachella Valley Animal campus in Thousand Palms at 951-358-7302 and view their animals at www.rcdas.org. Go adopt a rescue dog, save a life, and bring joy to your home!
