Happy birthday, Thompson!

Thompson's first photo

Yesterday my dog Thompson turned one year old. I'd like to tell you the story of Thompson, and in doing so introduce you to a wonderful organization that could use your support.

When my fiance and kids and I moved into our current house in mid-April last year we decided to ge a dog. I'd had a beagle when I was a kid and have loved them ever since, so we decided to look for something beagleish. We weren't interested in using the dog for hunting or shows, so we decided a purebred beagle was not necessary (or remotely within our budget). A nice dog that could reasonably pass as a beagle--that was the plan. Another stipulation: we wanted a puppy, not an older dog. We checked with the local Humane Society and other similar resources, and while they had many dogs that could've made wonderful pets for us, our hearts were set on a beagle-type dog.

A little online research lead us to B.O.N.E.S.: Beagles of New England States. They're a beagle rescue society, removing beagles from abusive living situations and finding good homes for them. On the B.O.N.E.S. website we were introduced to a sweet girl named Cookie:


Cookie, Thompson's mom

When B.ON.E.S. found Cookie she was living outside, tied to a fence. See that nasty scar across her muzzle? That was caused by her former "owner", an abusive scumbag who wired her mouth shut so she couldn't bark. B.O.N.E.S. rescued Cookie and her equally ill-treated sister from this pathetic waste of skin, and a couple weeks later Cookie, very happy in her new foster home, gave birth to a litter of truly amazing-looking puppies. As is often the case, one died. Thompson was the smallest of the surviving puppies. Not a runt by any stretch of the imagination, Thompson made up for his smaller size by being the fiestiest pup of the litter, making sure he always got enough to eat and plenty of attention.

The adoption process was involved, but B.O.N.E.S. made it easy and fun. We emailed them expressing our interest in adopting one of Cookie's puppies, and within a couple days we were filling out the necessary paperwork and setting up an in-home visit. One of the things I like most about B.O.N.E.S. is that they're not interested in shipping puppies off to anyone who says, "I want one!" They make sure their puppies are going to good homes. We live in central Vermont, and although B.O.N.E.S. is based in the Boston area they were able to find a couple nearby who were providing a foster home to a B.O.N.E.S. beagle. With beagle in tow they came to our house for an in-home interview. We passed and were approved to adopt one of Cookie's puppies. When the puppies were old enough for their personality evaluations they were matched up with prospective homes. I guess B.O.N.E.S. picked fiesty Thompson for us because we have two young kids, and what a perfect match-up!

Near the end of May, when the litter was about 8 weeks old, wa made the three hour drive down to Boston to pick up our new puppy. We met Cookie, who despite the cruelty she went through turned out to be a very lovely girl. My fiance drove on the return trip, and tiny little Thompson spent the ride in my lap, frequently resting his head on his new mommy's arm. He fit in immediately and has been a joy ever since. A year ago my fiance and I were excited but very nervous about the responsibilities of being good dog owners. Now we can't imagine a life without Thompson, and are looking forward to the day we own a house and have enough space (and a yard that can be fenced in) to give Thompson a brother or sister.


Thompson the 1-year-old

If you live in New England and are considering getting a dog, please follow the link above and consider using B.O.N.E.S. They're a terrific organization, and will provide you with a great amount of support during the entire adoption process. If you have a few spare dollars you'd like to donate to a good cause, keep them in mind. They frequently incur large medical bills caring for rescued beagles with health problems, so you can almost always find a couple dogs on their website that need sponsors. Every little bit helps, and it would make a big difference to them.

So happy birthday, Thompson boy! We love you!