We took him home!

The Animal Shelter said he was a pedigree and gave us his papers. He was a Kerry Blue Terrier, similar to a standard poodle. We never had him groomed like a poodle. We loved him just the way he was, a black, shaggy dog. We named him Koko.

At the time, we lived in Downers Grove, Illinois, about 20 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. We owned a poppy red VW convertible. Koko loved to sit in the back seat with the roof down and ride around town with us, looking like a little king sitting back there.

Koko was great with children. We didn’t have any, but children who live around us loved Koko.

In the winter months, a field next to our apartment complex was flooded so people could use it for ice skating. When I went ice skating, I took Koko with me. He loved to run and slide on the ice, just like Snoopy!

We had one problem with Koko. My wife and I worked in the day time in downtown Chicago. He didn’t like being left alone all day and often messed on the floor. We tried various cages, but he always broke out of them and messed on the floor. Finally, after having him in our home for a year, I took him back to the animal shelter early one day. They said they would find another home for him and make sure someone would be home with him all day.

When I arrived at work an hour later, I called the animal shelter to say I wanted to come by after work to take Koko home.

“It’s too late, George,” the woman at the shelter told me. “About an hour after you left, a woman came by with three small children. I told her how great you said Koko was with kids and also about the need to have someone home with him at all times. The woman added that they had a large enclosed back yard with a dog house and a large basement. They took Koko home with them.”

I was sorry to learn I couldn’t get Koko, but I was glad to know Koko had a new home with children where he would happy.

George Spink
Los Angeles

You bet!