A Boy and His Dog

A Boy and His Dog

            Ever since he can remember, Alex wanted a dog. He yearned to have a furry companion at his side. While living with his parents, he couldn’t have one due to other family members’ allergies. He eventually accepted the fact that he would have to wait until he moved out in order to have his own dog.

            Shortly before he graduated high school, his best friend adopted an 8 week old golden retriever puppy. Although she did not belong to him, they formed an intense bond of “uncle Alex” and “niece Lucy”. On their first walk through town, Lucy was too tired halfway through. It was a very long walk for a little pup. She laid down in the grass and refused to move. Alex took it upon himself to carry her the entire way home; which happened to be across half the town.

            The two would play tug of war frequently. So much so, that if Alex showed up at his best friends’ door, Lucy would quickly grab a toy and harass him until he gave in. Even while both Alex and his best friend lived in different cities for post-secondary education, they still saw each other frequently. Lucy would always get excited when she heard Alex was coming by for a visit.

            A few years later, Alex’s friend was getting married. She arranged that both her golden retrievers (she now had 2) be in the ceremony. Alex was asked to walk Lucy down the aisle. She stole the show, as she was also expecting a litter of pups.

            Fast-forward to 2016 and life had sadly turned upside down. While dealing with a complete change in family dynamic, Alex’s best friend realized she could not handle a baby, and 3 golden retrievers on her own. She was unable to give them the attention and love they needed. She made the very difficult decision to find new homes for them. She knew Alex had been searching to adopt a dog, and she knew that he and Lucy shared a strong bond. The decision was easy; ask Alex to take Lucy in. Alex of course obliged.

            That’s when Alex’s life changed. Having never had a dog before, it was a new experience. But boy oh boy did he end up having the easiest time of being a new dog owner. At 4.5 years old, Lucy was so well trained that all she needed was a bit of guidance with re-learning how to walk with a leash. She had adjusted to living on a farm with acres to run around.

            While working as a certified interior decorator was great, Alex started to realize something. He started feeling that as great as it is to help people make their spaces beautiful and comfortable, he felt he wasn’t doing enough. He wanted to be bettering the lives of animals like his Lucy. He wanted to make more of a positive impact on the world. He was now on the hunt for a new job; one that was in the animal field.

            After a couple of months of searching, he was offered the dual-role of Veterinary Assistant and Receptionist here at Richview Animal Hospital. He has never been happier. Lucy has forever changed him. He will always be grateful for his best friend who, without even trying, gave his life more meaning.