The vet looked at her with an unpleasant expression, leaving Jane more confused. She knew the bites looked terrible, but it wasn't like she didn't try to help her poor pup.
The vet didn't seem to think she did, considering the pained expression on his face. She just wanted him to tell her what was wrong with her dog. She was shocked by what he told her. He informed her that she had been wrong about the bug bites.
Animal Lover
Jane Augustine, her loving husband, and their beautiful children lived in Ohio. She adored her life and always seemed happy but desperately wanted a dog. The animal lover eventually convinced her husband to get one.
Jane came across an English Mastiff named Pancakes. She had never encountered a more loving animal and told the shelter staff she wanted to adopt him.
Shelter Life
Pancakes hadn't had an easy life being brought into the shelter after being found as a puppy on the side of the road. He had spent a year in the no-kill shelter before Jane adopted him.
Pancakes had grown accustomed to being lonely and malnourished. He only had love to give and wanted to give it all to Jane when he saw her. She wanted to love him in return and give him everything he deserved.
Adopted
Jane felt an instant connection to Pancakes, something she had only experienced when she was a child growing up with her first ever dog. Her husband agreed that Pancakes was the dog for her, and they proceeded with the adoption process.
They had everything ready for him, from the perfect dog food to a comfortable bed and a few toys. They knew he had been neglected and wanted to make up for that.
Her Dog
Throughout the following months, Pancakes had grown to love his family and had settled in well. He often played outside with the children and enjoyed the evenings sitting on the edge of Jane's bed.
Everyone loved Pancakes, but he was undoubtedly Jane's dog. As she sat in her office, he would sit with her and follow her around the house.
Marks On His Skin
Jane sat with Pancakes on the bed after a few months and noticed odd marks on his skin she had never seen before. They worried her.
After having a closer look at them, she concluded they were flea bites. It made sense because he enjoyed playing outside in the bushes riddled with insects.
Seeking Advice
Jane worried that he was in pain and decided to visit the local pet shop to find out if they had any advice. She would do everything in her power to ensure her furball was healed.
She left the pet shop, having been told a de-wormer, a flea tablet, and some treats would do the trick.
No Improvements
Jane checked his progress after the three-week course of flea medication and deworming. She used treats to disguise the medication so that he would take it and was happy to know Pancake was enjoying them.
But Jane couldn't see any improvement regarding his marks and noticed there were more than the last time she checked. The medication seemed to have done nothing to help.
More Needed To Be Done
Jane realized that something more needed to be done about her dog's situation. She would go to the ends of the earth for her dog to make sure he got better.
She needed to understand what was wrong with her dog and took him to the vet. But she had no idea that what the doctor had to say would leave her feeling distressed.
Sulking
Pancakes had a way of telling when he was headed to the park or the groomer, so Jane struggled to get him into the car to take him to the vet. He had put up a good fight before he ended up in the back seat, sulking.
Pancakes made it clear he wasn't happy by moaning over the short drive. It seemed he would take the bites instead of seeing the vet. Jane was convinced she had made the right choice when she saw the vet's reaction.
The Truth
The vet shook his head and looked at Jane with a scowl. She had no idea what was going on. She knew there were lots of bites, but she had done everything that she could to help her boy.
It seemed that it didn't matter to the vet. It looked as if he had been punched in the gut. What was wrong with her dog? Then he finally opened his mouth to speak and told her that the marks on the canine weren't bug bites at all.
Cruelty
The vet explained that the bug bites on Pancakes weren't caused by any animal at all. They were caused by a human. The cruel reality of the situation washed over Jane as she realized what the vet was saying.
It was cruelty, but Jane couldn't understand what was going on. She never had and would never lay a hand on her special boy, and she knew her husband wouldn’t either. Even her children were raised better than that. So who was the culprit?
Marks
Jane couldn't believe what had happened to her poor boy. The doctor informed her that the marks were, in fact, marks. And that the marks were caused by BB pellets. Someone had been intentionally shooting her dog with a BB gun.
Thankfully, the doctor said that none of the BBs had hit anywhere vital. He was especially worried about his eyes, but they were fine. Jane breathed a sigh of relief.
Road To Recovery
The vet put Pancakes on an anti-biotic course and told Jane that he would be fine provided the shooting stopped. Jane assured him that she would make sure that the tragedy wouldn't continue.
Pancakes started his road to recovery, and Jane stayed home to watch him 24 hours a day. She soon learned the origin of all his pain when she looked over the neighbor's fence.
Where The Problem Started
Jane peered over her neighbor's fence to find out bb pellets all over their garden. Furthermore, she saw a BB gun on their outside table. She decided to talk to the owners of the house.
She found out that it was their son using the BB gun, and once his parents found out, he was severely punished, and it was taken away. But Jane wasn’t the only pet owner whose pet got entangled with the neighbors.
Harry Jackson
A few miles away from her city lived a plumber who had always been a dog lover. Harry Jackson had adored pups since he was a kid.
Now a thirty-seven-year-old dad, he’d worked hard to give his family everything they could want. But although his life was perfect in every way possible, one thing was missing.
Different Priorities
Despite his unwavering love for canines, it had been a while since Harry had a pet dog. Of course, his childhood home was peppered with pups everywhere, but life in the city proved too much for him to care for a dog.
But now that he was older, with his kids in middle high school, his wife working as a successful realtor, and his plumbing business taking off, Harry could finally have a dog in his home. He had no clue what he was stepping into.
Going To Get Him
After a lengthy discussion with his family regarding the possibility of opening their home to a puppy, Harry asked them whether they wanted to bring a dog from the grandpa’s or adopt one from a local shelter.
Of course, the consensus was that the family adopts a dog, given that the ones back at Harry’s childhood home had everything they needed. With that, the family hopped into their car and drove into town to find the lucky pup.
Love At First Sight
Harry and his family weren’t in the shelter for more than ten minutes when they saw Ricky, a spritely Golden Retriever that jumped to its feet when it locked eyes with them.
Ricky was a two-year-old rescue with an amputated hind leg, but despite this, he was the happiest dog in the shelter. Harry knew he was the one.
Taking Him Home
Ricky wagged his tail and barked delightfully as the family signed the papers for him. They’d even bought him a lovely navy blue collar with silver studs.
Everyone in the family said “hi” to the dog. Ricky reciprocated the energy by licking them with all the power in his wonderful body. Seeing that the stars had aligned for everyone involved in this sacred exchange, Harry took his family back home to welcome the newest member of their family.
Who’s A Good Boy?
Ricky settled into his new home in no time. He was one of the most lively and active dogs Harry had ever seen despite having only three legs.
He enjoyed running around the backyard, sometimes leaving the compound to play with the neighborhood kids and dogs. But one day, trouble would come knocking on Harry’s door, prompting him to set cameras all over his house.
A Scary Situation
Life had been perfect for Harry and his family when the worst news hit the airwaves out of nowhere. There was a string of burglaries all over Harry’s neighborhood, and folks were scared.
But even worse was what the burglars were doing to dogs in the neighborhood. Many families with pets reported that the burglars gave their dogs food poisoning to sedate them during their unsavory activities. Harry knew Ricky’s life was in danger.
Gearing Up
As any worried dad would when faced with such a harsh reality, Harry bought and installed a state-of-the-art security system in his home. This included a new alarm system and security cameras, each of which was hooked to his phone for easy monitoring.
But although Harry could sleep easier knowing he had his eyes on his property, he was still worried about Ricky’s wellbeing. He couldn’t stomach the thought of losing his little buddy.
Back To Normal
The string of burglaries cooled after word got around, and most homeowners fitted their houses with security systems. But although Harry and his family could breathe easy now, disaster was just about to strike.
Ricky began leaving the house at odd hours when he should’ve been sleeping or hanging out with the kids. Harry ignored it at first but soon realized something was terribly wrong.
Working On The House
The week Harry noticed something was off with Ricky was unlike any other. He, alongside a close plumber friend, had been renovating his house’s plumbing system.
The work had already claimed a few days from his usual routine. The week was almost over, yet Harry had not seen his dog running around the house.
A Thunderous Night
Harry didn’t overthink it, assuming Ricky was out playing in the backyard or within the neighborhood. But one night, everything would become apparent.
There was a terrible thunderstorm sweeping through the city. As was the custom during such times, Harry huddled up with his wife and kids around the fireplace, each with a cozy book. This time, Ricky was among them. But as the thunderstorm got louder, something odd happened.
What’s Happening?
Thunder reverberated through the house, and Ricky bolted out of the room. He whined and cried hysterically, hiding under the chair.
Harry’s brows furrowed as he followed him. Was Ricky scared of thunderstorms? That wasn’t unheard of in dogs. If only Harry knew that the problem was much more severe than that. The truth would soon come out.
A Confusing Week
The week continued in the same vein as it had begun, with Harry barely seeing his dog through the day. On his lunch break, he decided to take a look at the house cameras. Perhaps they would reveal what was happening.
As if on cue, Ricky ran before the garage camera, disappearing down the road before appearing again. But he wasn’t alone. Harry knew he had to get to him before it was too late.
Who’s The Man?
A man had appeared next to Ricky. He was burly and tall, with a dark beard that shone in the afternoon sun. Harry had never seen him before. He couldn’t tell what was happening and knew he needed to get to his dog.
But he found the man petting the Golden Retriever lovingly, whispering to him with a smile. Harry introduced himself, not knowing what the man was about to reveal about his dog.
Mr. Clay
The man introduced himself as Mr. Clay, the town’s new veterinarian. He’d just moved into the neighborhood and had made a friend in Ricky after finding him hanging out in his yard. “Did you know he has noise anxiety?” Mr. Clay asked.
Harry was shocked, finally understanding why Ricky had left the house during the day. With the repairs Harry was doing on the house, the noise was unbearable for the dog. Of course, Mr. Clay offered Harry and Ricky a free consultancy session with him. He was more than happy to help Ricky with his condition.
Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.