I first found “Mindy” in an outside run at the BARC Animal Shelter. He was super sweet and came right up to me. I fed him some treats and he followed me around like a little puppy dog – because he was. Only six months old. Just a loving, affectionate baby.
But I had to leave him to go photograph and video the many other dogs at the shelter who also needed humans of their own. Several hours later I went inside to check on him and a few others I was worried about. He had a sheet over the kennel door so he couldn’t see anyone and no one could see him. People at the shelter sometimes do that when they think a dog needs to “decompress”. Personally, I think it isolates them and drives them into madness. But that’s just my opinion.
Of course I took the sheet down and inquired as to why there was a sheet put up on his kennel door. An employee told me, “I don’t really care for him.” Well, I cared for him. And what happened next steeled my resolve to save him. You see, more times than not, a sheet covering the the kennel door…well, let’s just say the Angel of Death won’t be passing over that canine.
When I took the sheet down it revealed a dog I did not recognize. Gone was the cute, sweet, loving, bouncy little six month old puppy. Mindy was lying prostrate and not moving. He looked up at me. His eyes were sad. And he was obviously scared stiff. With forty or fifty barking dogs all around him, who could blame him? Probably his first time in jail, and I was determined to be his Racehorse Haynes. Of course I would take his case Pro Bone-O.
I opened the kennel door and tried to coax him out. Nope. Not moving. He was petrified. I offered him some hot dogs. Nothing doing. And when I went to go pick him up and carry him out, I almost started crying. Without even moving, before I even lifted him up, he began urinating. And not the little tinkle when they are excited to see you – this was full flow, and long. He peed all over himself and his doggie bed. It was so pathetic and sad that my mission was quite clear. He would be leaving BARC – the good way.
I lifted him up and he was sopping wet. I carried him outside like a little baby. The scent of urine was now firmly affixed to me. Once outside I put him in a dog run. Within two minutes or so he became a dog again. Sweet and lovable. He would never leave my side. Unabashedly loyal. He loved me and the feeling was mutual. I left him for a few minutes and as I looked over my shoulder I could see him watching me. When I was finally out of sight he began playing with his next door neighbor. Very dog friendly.
I went back to his kennel and cleaned it up. I left some treats in it for his return. Then I went back outside and played with him. He couldn’t have been more happy.
I flagged down an employee and asked if they would change “Mindy’s” sex to a male since he clearly had tools and gear. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t non-binary. Dogs are funny that way. Of course an employee had to check for herself because I am clearly incapable of telling the difference. They changed his gender in his record and renamed him Mark. Since the All Volunteer BARC Photo Team is very clever, we couldn’t resist calling him Mork, as in The Mork & Mindy Show. I miss Robin Williams – God bless his tortured soul. You Young people can Google it. Nothing gets past us. We’re funny, talented, hard working, kind, and extremely good looking. And modest, of course.
I took Mork back – on a leash. He walked nicely. And I gave him a nice warm bath. I still smelled like urine but no need for both of us to. I was going to insert a Donald Trump joke here but I’ll refrain. Just use your imagination. Imaginations can be golden. And I needed a shower. Subliminal. See what I did there?
The next day Mork from Ork left BARC – the good way. Rescue Pets Movement tagged him for rescue and he went to stay in a wonderful place I call Sonoma’s Haven. He loved it there. I say loved because yesterday he made his final journey to 2Blondes All Breed Rescue (who I love dearly) in Colorado where he will find humans of his own. And he will have the best life ever and become someones soul mate.
I’m so happy for him. He just needed a chance to shine and for someone to believe in him. I loved this sweet, adorable little boy. And I know someone in Colorado will too. Mork and his human will both be getting a great deal when they adopt one another.
Nanu Nanu Mork from Ork.
