[Dailydrool] The Story of Rupert (Repeat)

[K. Green]

Today would be Rupert's 13th Gotcha day with us and what we would consider
his 15th birthday. Unfortunately we lost him in April 2018, but in his
memory is like to share his adoption story as it still warms my heart 13
years later.

Rupert was found wandering the streets of San Diego, near the Mexico
border. He was extremely skinny and ill with a blood infection. The vets
initially estimated him to be somewhere around 10 years old based on his
appearance. A woman who ran a doggy daycare pulled him from the shelter and
began nursing him back to health, with her own money and donations from
clients at the doggy daycare.

On April 12, 2008, I saw Rupert in San Diego at an all-breed dog event,
called Woofstock, that I was attending with my 2 y/o hound,
Cowboy. Rupert was a skinny red and white hound, wearing an "Adopt Me"
vest. Cowboy and I stopped to chat with the handler and Rupert warmed up to
me immediately. I called the DH, James, on the spot, informing him that
there was a basset hound here for adoption. He firmly instructed me to head
home and that I better only come back with the one dog that I left with.

For the next 6 weeks I pestered James about sweet old Rupert, and checked
the doggy daycare blog for status updates on his adoption. At the time, we
had a brother and brother's dog living with us and it just didn't work to
bring in a new hound. Over the 6-week period the brother and dog decided to
moved out and we finally decided to consider getting Cowboy a friend.
Finally James and I agreed that we'd go meet Rupert one evening after work.

May 21, 2008 came and I could not contain my excitement. I knew that if I
could drag James down to the daycare to meet Rupert, he too would fall in
love and let me bring Ru home. I arranged to get off work early that day,
pick up Cowboy and James, and head down to meet Rupert. Upon getting off
work, I called the daycare to give them a heads up that we were coming but
I was stunned when they informed me that Rupert had been adopted earlier
that morning. Devastated, I called James in tears. He reassured me that
there would be another dog that needed a home and told me to come home. I
was happy Rupert had found a home, but was so upset that it wasn't ours.
After weeks of watching, I was just a few hours late on adopting the sweet
red boy. After pulling into the driveway, I opened our front door, and
there on my couch sat a big red hound.

Apparently while I was at work, James secretly took Cowboy to
meet Rupert that morning and fell in love. The rest, as they say, is
history.

Today we celebrate Rupert's 13th year gotcha day and although his physical
being has left, he remains in our hearts and minds everyday. Our kids
barely knew him as he passed 11 weeks after our first son was born, but
they definitely know him. His pictures adorn our walls and we talk of him
often. We love the big red bozo with all our hearts!

Drool to all,
Kacy with two human kids but currently houndless and actively looking for
the next houndies to grace our home and hearts
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