When she finally saw him again, her sweet face broke into a broad smile that lit up the whole dog park.
Her body soon followed, wriggling, twirling and leaping in the happiest dance.
For he was her person. Her very best friend.
“You’re a lunatic,” he smiled affectionately, giving her the warm hug he’d been pining for ever since they’d been separated 103 days earlier.
And just like that, they were inseparable once more.
For the past nine years since she was a pup, Rodney and Molly had always been together. By day she would join him at work, and by night they would snuggle up in bed together. Meal times were her favourite times, complete with her signature happy dance. Wherever he was, she was right by his side.
But all of a sudden, Rodney’s life came crashing down around him. After travelling overseas to play pool for Australia, he hit rock bottom when he returned home. Facing hospitalisation, chronic pain, bankruptcy, and a long stint in rehabilitation, he had nowhere to go.
Moving into turbulent transitional housing with others who were facing their own battles, he was unable to bring his best friend. He urgently needed to find someone to care for Molly while he got the help he needed. It was just before Christmas, and time was running out. That’s when his support worker reached out to us.
We were able to place Molly in a foster home just in time for Christmas, and there she thrived with lots of love, toys and tasty meals.
More than three months passed. Every day that they were apart, Rodney thought of Molly. She was his reason to keep going.
When Rodney finished rehab, he moved in with a family member. And then, the moment finally came that he and his Molly had both been waiting for. They were finally together again.
Rodney is still in pain, and his road to recovery is a long one. But with his happy and faithful girl by his side, gazing at him adoringly like there is nowhere she would rather be, that journey is a little more bearable.
“The service you provided to Molly was second to none,” Rodney said, his voice shaking. “It really took a load off my mind. Without your help I would be lost without my Molly. She is more than a dog. To me, she is family. I cannot thank you enough.”
