When Fate intervenes
Monday, April 2, 2012
By: Jenna Madsen

(Khali is on the left and Riley is on the right)

My husband and I decided we needed a dog in our lives and of course the first and only option was adoption. We weren't planning on adopting until we moved into our new home but on a whim we stopped by the Huame Society to see who was there. We walked throught he kennels and saw so many wonderful dogs and I wanted to take them all home but then I saw Riley. They had named him Martin because that is where they found him, on Martin street. It was love at first sight! They brought him into the room to meet us and he was a giant, cuddly teddy bear. So loving and so sweet! The adoption counselor said he had been visited 5 times that day but no one wanted him because he could jump 4 foot fences and that was probably how he ended up a stray. We adopted him within 5 minutes and took him home. He was the best thing that ever happened to us and I am sure the same was true in reverse.
A few months later we got settled into our new home and decided Riley needed a friend, we have a huge yard and it needed another dog. I saw Khali on the NHS web site and thought she would be a good match for Riley, they were both German Shepherd mixes, had similar personalities and around the same age. When we went in they told us that Khali was being kept in a seperate area as she could not handle being on the adoption floor, now I was nervous. They brought her outside to meet Riley and it was like a dog tornado! They loved each other and immediatley were playing, running around and jumping all over each other. Of course we brought her home.
The first night at home Khali went crazy and ran all over the place breaking things and attacking the cats. My husband told me she had to go and there was no arguing about it. I borught her back to the humane society and cried all the way home. The next day the most wonderful NHS employee called me and changed ours and Khali's lives forever. She explained to me that this was the 3rd time Khali had been brought back by her adoptive parents and that they were willing to work with us and provide free training classes as well as a kennel for her if we were willing to giver her another chance.
We did, we picked her back up and brought her home. It was a long grueling several months where my husband and I both had a lot of doubts about whether Khali would ever come around but I am so happy to say that she is now the most loving and well behaved dog I have ever had! She now leaves the cats alone, she listens, she cuddles, she loves to play and best of all, she finally found her forever home!
Oh, and Riley has yet to jump our 4 foot fence :)