A touching family reunion
Several years ago my sister, Maddie Snyder, adopted a 7-year-old beagle named Wall-E. We often say he is the luckiest dog ever to be adopted. She loves him like a child, despite some bad habits, which were long ingrained prior to his adoption.
He has a lot of good qualities, too. We have all come to love him and his gentle spirit.
Perhaps his greatest talent is “singing.” He howls along every time Happy Birthday or Ode to Wall-E (a tune written and performed by my sister) is sung. He breaks out into a howling rhythm that will simply warm your heart. Did he do this before or is this something Maddie actually taught him? We will probably never know.
Wall-E (named from the Disney movie of the same name) was brought to a Robinson Township pet store from a West Virginia shelter. When Maddie adopted him, she learned that he had a sister named Eva, (also named from the movie Wall-E) who was taken to a different location for adoption. Maddie always wondered what ever happened to her and assumed she was probably placed somewhere in West Virginia.
You can imagine her surprise when she struck up a conversation with a longtime family friend, Valerie Nyswaner, at a local community event. Valerie was talking about her beagle, Eva, and soon they realized fate was on their side. We learned the Nyswaners adopted Eva from a Washington area pet store.
Who could imagine the two would end up living just a few miles away from each other right here in Greene County? It truly is a small world.
Maddie and Val, along with Val’s husband, Todd, began planning a reunion. They decided to get the dogs together to see if there was a connection and selected a recent Friday evening, inviting some aunts and uncles, grandparents and friends.
When the Nyswaners arrived, it was truly heartwarming. As with many family members, the dogs picked up right where they left off. They seemed as if they saw each other yesterday, sniffing each other as if in disbelief. They shared a meal, played together and enjoyed a very special evening.
If you have ever adopted a shelter dog, especially an adult one, you can relate to wondering about their past. While we can’t be sure, we all feel as if Wall-E and Eva may have been food deprived at one time, as they eat feverishly and love unconditionally. Thanks to their adopted families, they are loved unconditionally in return.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our own shelter dog, Nala, who we adopted from the Humane Society of Greene County. Unlike many, we are blessed to know her story. Her mother was an HSGC shelter dog who was expecting puppies. A local family, the Zeilers, took the mother in so she could have the puppies in a loving home. Mark and Paula Zeiler, and their loving daughters, kept mom and pups until they were old enough to be adopted. Their love of these puppies and mama is evident when you meet Nala. She is an amazing dog and we can’t imagine our lives without her.
I want to say thank you to all those who have adopted a shelter or rescue dog. There are many wonderful pure breeds, and I do not begrudge anyone from choosing this option, but if you are looking for a pet to complete your family, consider a shelter or rescue dog.
You may not know their “back story,” but if our family’s experience is any indication, you will be rewarded with a lot of love and gratitude and a lifelong friend.