Cam isn’t included in the official number of new family members adopted through My Furry Valentine. He isn’t one of the hundreds who found new families in the first year of the event. He doesn’t technically count as an alum. And yet, he is my ultimate representative of My Furry Valentine and what it stands for.
When I first heard about My Furry Valentine, I knew the rescue I was involved with needed to be included. I volunteered to lead our group, and I started excitedly telling anyone who would listen about this amazing event. I organized volunteers and materials, and I kept checking back to see what other groups would be present. And then I started looking at the Adoptable Animals Gallery.
Every night, I would look at the album. More and more dogs were being added every day, each one representing thousands looking for a home, and I started to feel overwhelmed. It was great that I was participating in My Furry Valentine, but I wanted to do more.
When Cam arrived at the shelter, he was underweight, lethargic, and had awful double ear infections. He was found with a pregnant flat-coated retriever in the crawl space of an abandoned house, was withdrawn at the shelter, and My Furry Valentine was his first weekend as my foster.
As with so many dogs in shelters and rescues, it took a little time for Cam to settle in. He didn’t feel well, and he was suddenly in a place he had never been before, with people he had never seen. He spent his days sleeping, and although he always wanted his people in sight, he was never completely relaxed. He never bit, he never growled, but the light wasn’t there in his eyes.
However, little by little, Cam blossomed. He started to run and play, he cuddled in bed, and eventually, he started barking out of sheer joy. It was time for him to be made available for adoption, and suddenly, there was no way to let him go. He finally felt safe and loved, and he had stolen our hearts. It may have taken a little time to realize, but Cam had found his forever family and forever home the moment he stepped into our house.
And that’s what My Furry Valentine is all about. It extends beyond the hundreds of pets lucky enough to find their homes over Valentine’s Day weekend. It spreads the idea of adoption to people who are considering it for the first time, it makes room in shelters and rescues for more pets in need, and it gets people involved in volunteering in the rescue community. If you haven’t been to My Furry Valentine yet, I would encourage you to attend this year. Even if you’re not looking to adopt, the puppy kisses are totally worth it.
