The Story of Jack
Jack, a pedigree male doberman, was given away as a young puppy. Our first contact with him was a report of an adult doberman. In terrible shape. On the roadside. Abandoned. He was a year old. Cadaverously thin. Not able to stand up well. The life knocked out of him. Spirit broken.
We put him on the veranda with the other dogs and puppies. Gave him a lot of hugging, stroking, kissing. He started recovering quickly. Gaining weight. Growing fast. Reclaiming his birthright. He started small, first playing with the puppies, of which there were many. After some time, the adult dogs were included.
He became so energetic, and strong. So Doberman. That he was too much for the other dogs and puppies. His mode of frolicking was way beyond theirs. We considered bringing a young lion in to play with him, but gave up the idea.
He was just too much for the Shelter. So we started looking for a good foster home while we found a good permanent situation for him. No easy job. Couldn't find one until Ken, our Canadian hero stepped forward. He had rented, longterm, a house with a pretty large enclosed area. And so Jack was taken to live with Ken.
Ken claims that for several days Jack just silently watched him, chin resting on paws. Ken understood that it was wise for him to be respectful and nonthreatening. Then one day Jack came over and put his chin on Ken's lap.
And so, the beginning of their relationship. He was with Ken for three or four months. It ain't easy to find a permanent good home for a big male doberman like Jack.
The search went on and on and on. We tried everything we could think of. Then, as Providence would have it, an aging male doberman was brought to the clinic by its owner.
It had a failing kidney condition. The owners also had a mature female doberman at home. It was clear that the owners loved this guy we were treating. After a month, he died.
We waited a while before we approached them with the idea of adopting Jack. The lady was against the idea. But it was a really ideal situation, so Leslie, Dr.Raja, and Vishwa went out to their home one evening to discuss it.
The lady's son, in his mid-twenties, strongly wanted to adopt him. But he did not prevail. A week later he called the Shelter. Now they wanted to adopt him. We were then a little hesitant. So the son came out to Ken's house one evening. Leslie was there, too.
They chatted and he looked at Jack, and by the markings, said that he was pretty sure he was one of the puppies they had given away 1 1/2 years ago. Leslie and Ken looked at each other. Both thought the guy was bullshitting so that they'd give him, Jack.
But then, Jack, who was usually not friendly to strangers, started relating to this guy as though he were his long lost brother. What a mind-blower.
And so the day came that Vishwa was going to take Jack to his new home. Leslie told Vishwa as he was leaving the Shelter with Jack to spend several hours there to give Jack a chance to settle in. But Vishwa returned a half hour later. "I thought I told you to spend several hours there." "Sir the female doberman was at the door when we arrived. They immediately took to each other. She was Jack's mother."
What a karmic stunner. They unwittingly sent Jack into suffering as a puppy. And now they can recover by giving him a beautiful home.
Jack has been brought to the Shelter two times over the last two years. And he is really Big. Strong. Secure. Happy. And All Doberman. Dr.Raja and Vishwa were there both times. And both were very, very respectful. If they had said, "O' hi Jackie, remember us", and attempted to hug him. They probably would have immediately experienced a violent death.
