Have I Ever Told You About…
How we happened upon and adopted Jax?
We were thinking about getting another pup. I had my heart set on a black Lab, so I’d been following a few dog rescue groups near Tempe, Arizona. One weekend, a rescue organization announced a meet-and-greet event at PetSmart. They had not one but two black Labs available. That was all the encouragement I needed. We loaded our American Staffordshire Terrier, Lady, into the SUV and headed out.
As we drove through the parking lot, I spotted both Labs in their kennels, beautiful dogs, but barking wildly at everyone who passed. Then my eyes landed on a little fenced area with a handful of smaller pups. One in particular caught my attention: a black-and-white dog with floppy ears and the sweetest face.
I turned to Mr. Whaldo and said, “I think I just found our next family member.”
The event was crowded, so he told me to go ahead while he parked. I didn’t waste a second. I made a beeline straight for that black and white pup, walking right past the Labs who were still voicing their opinions.
When I reached the pen, he stood on his hind legs to meet my hand halfway. His tail wagged so fast I thought he might take flight. I bent down to talk to him, and he looked straight at me with those trusting eyes. In that instant, I knew.
My husband and Lady soon joined me. I told him we needed the pup to meet Lady, but it was hard to get a volunteer’s attention through the crowd. While he went off to find help, I stayed with my little wiggle butt, playing with a toy to keep him entertained. A young boy wandered over and joined in. He giggled as the pup bounced and pounced, full of life.
Just then, my husband returned with a volunteer on the way to help us. Unfortunately, so did the boy’s family, and they pointed to the same pup—my pup—and told the woman they wanted to meet him.
Whatever look crossed my face must’ve said it all. My husband immediately stepped in, calm but firm: “No. My wife’s been sitting here waiting patiently to meet this pup, and she was here first.”
The volunteer nodded and told the other family they could be next. Then she handed me the leash, and we led the black and white ball of energy out of the pen. Lady walked quietly beside us, her steady presence balancing the puppy’s chaos. They sniffed, wagged, and then, just like that, were walking side by side.
It was obvious that they belonged together.
When we returned, even the volunteer smiled and said, “Looks like he’s found his family.” The adoption was quick, and soon we were inside PetSmart buying the essentials for our newest family member. The rescue had called him Panda, but as we loaded up the car, I told my husband that wasn’t his name.
As we pulled out of the parking lot, I spotted the boy and his family. They’d adopted one of the other pups from the same litter. Everyone left with the dog they were meant to have.
Back home, Lady and the pup raced around the yard, rolling and tumbling in pure joy. She could’ve easily overpowered him, but she didn’t; she played gently, letting him climb all over her. Before long, the pup’s energy started to fade. I called out, “Come on, Lady, let’s go in.” She trotted toward me, and I looked back at the little one still across the yard.
“Are you coming, Jax?” I asked.
Ears flopping, tail wagging, he came running. That was it. He was home.
I will always be grateful that my husband spoke up that day. Without him, Jax might not have found us, and we can’t imagine life without our boy.
- J.S. Whaldo
Jax is a rescue out of Puerto Peñasco, Mexico. Barb’s Dog Rescue is the group that saved him, his mother, and his siblings. He was brought to the United States for adoption when he was six months old, which is the required age.
If you’re ever in the area, Barb’s Dog Rescue is always looking for fosters, permanent homes, donations, and supplies. You can follow them on Facebook for updates and happy rescue stories.
