Well, I’m not the world’s most passionate guy but when I looked in her eyes, well, I almost fell for my Lola. Lo lo lo lo Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola…  Girls will be boys, and boys will be girls. It’s a mixed-up, muddled-up, shook-up world except for Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola…

I just love that song from Cheap Trick, don’t you?

Well, it wasn’t that mixed up world for my friend, Mike Kinsella, or me. I wasn’t scheduled to volunteer at our local animal shelter, BARC, that Sunday. Neither was Mike. But I had nothing going on and decided to do something productive. I rode over to do adoptions that day. They don’t call me the Used Dog Salesman of The Year for nothing…

Mike was just dropping something off and leaving. However, he stopped and we began schmoozing. Just at that moment – at that exact time, Ashley, an Animal Control Technician, walked by with a scared little 5 month old puppy on a leash. The puppy was clearly unhappy. She had just been separated from her brother, Rex. We hoped she was walking up to a newer building to get more exposure to be adopted. Sadly, we were wrong. She was marching to Baydock, where dogs go – and never return. Mike and I reached down to pet Lola. She was nervous, but nice. She knew what was coming. Ashley walked off with Lola and put her in a kennel to wait her turn.

Mike and I just looked at each other. I could see it in his eyes. Not on our watch. “Let’s go to Baydock and pull her out,” he said. I nodded. We walked over and pulled her out. I held her in my arms and as soon as I did, she settled down and licked my face. She knew what had just happened. Dogs know these things – trust me on this. Mike called several rescue groups but no one responded. I knew I could get a rescue group to tag her but unless Lola had a foster home to go to, she would stay in Baydock, awaiting her fate. Once they are on “the list” there’s no turning back. But this time, not on our watch.

I made a frantic call to my my co-foster in crime, Faith Duncan (who I recently just found out DID NOT own Dunkin Donuts – I was a little disappointed) and she said hell yes. Now, Faith has six rescue dogs of her own, plus she’s fostering a Distemper mama dog with two puppies. She had her hands full but opened her home to Lola.

Mike and I walked in the BARC office building and I asked for a reprieve for Lola. I was expecting a resounding no, but the wonderful Mauricio Zepeda said, “No, problem. You know why? You offered me a solution.” Practical and kind. I’ll never forget those words. These are the type of people manning BARC.

I took Lola to Faith’s house and she joined her pack like she had always been part of it. She walked on a leash like a champ and was never nervous again. Even being away from her brother, Rex, didn’t bother her anymore. Dr. Washington, at BARC, squeezed Lola into the very busy schedule to be spayed and the following Thursday, Lola transported to Colorado to My Second Home Rescue via Rescued Pets Movement. Now she’s sleeping with her new best friend – a cat.

Here’s the thing. A lot of things had to happen for Lola to be saved and start a new, wonderful life. If I hadn’t decided to go to the shelter that day (I wasn’t scheduled) I would have never seen her being marched off. If Mike hadn’t come in to drop something off, and stopped to talk, we would have never seen Lola. If Faith hadn’t agreed to foster Lola, Mauricio probably wouldn’t have removed her from “the list”. It was almost as if it was divine intervention for that little puppy. I like to think that it was. And I never think about the ones that walk on by without anyone ever noticing. That would be just too soul damaging. But I know it is happening. It’s all about timing. And our timing couldn’t have been better for Lola. Just look how gorgeous, happy, and sweet she is. It was a fitting ending/beginning for Lola.

I pushed her away, and walked to the door. I fell to the floor, I got down on my knees. I looked at her, and she at me. Well that’s the way I want it to stay. And I always want it to be that way for my Lola. Lo lo lo lo Lola…

Oh, and I know the song is by The Kinks. Thanks for reading through the whole blog. Lo lo lo lo Lola and I thank you.