The family was as tight-knit as they come. A mother and father cared for their two girls and two boys in only the best ways. The local daycare took up the mother’s time and the police station took up the father’s. The children attended school for their daily routine. When the kids were out of school, there were no more kids in the mother’s daycare, and the father’s shift was over, they all came back to their small Alabama home. 

The small home was packed full of toys, the kids’ possessions, groceries, and the parents’ few things. Along with the clutter of the family filling the house was a dog. The dog brought the family together after long days and was always around. His joyful behaviour gave them something to be happy about. He would be by the side of whoever was home, wanting so badly to keep them company. He omitted love to each member of the family no matter the situation. He didn’t bark, he didn’t drool, he didn’t bite, and he was potty trained. The dog highlighted the tight-knit family and made them feel complete. 

… 

The family prepared as much as they could for Hurricane Sally, the windows boarded up to protect the house and all fragile items placed in a safe space. The night before the hurricane was supposed to hit their city, the family all went to bed. The dog laid on the living room couch, awaiting the next day. 

The middle of the night came and the dog woke from the intense wind slamming against the windows. The hurricane was approaching land faster than predicted. The mother and father had ran out to the living room, finding the dog frantically running around the house. They woke the kids and brought them to the living room. They needed to get to their storm shelter that was in the backyard. 

The family ran to the storm shelter out the sliding back door. The wind was moving the kids from side to side. The mother opened up the door to the shelter, guiding each kid in. As everyone got in, the mother was ready to lock the door up. She looked into the shelter and saw each member of the family, but not the dog. The dog wasn’t anywhere. The wind blew harder and the mother had to lock up the door. 

The dog was wandered the streets, constantly being blown around the road. His little legs weren’t strong enough to keep him stable in the strong winds. He tried to look around for his family, but he couldn’t keep his eyes open. Eventually, he gave up and tried to lie down. A woman saw him laying down and took him inside. She cared for him through the night and the next few days. 

The woman wasn’t fit to care for a dog. When the hurricane had passed through, she brought him to a shelter. The shelter kept the dog for a few days to help find his family. After a week with no response, the shelter sent the dog away. Alabama was no place for a dog to be adopted in these conditions. They sent the dog up to Wisconsin, hoping to find it a good home.

October rolled around and the dog had arrived at the new Wisconsin shelter and was groomed and cleaned up. He was now eligible for adoption.

… 

His new family picked him up on Halloween. His joy to be back in a home was shown through his huge smile and excited footsteps. The new family cared for him greatly and he was finally happy again. The new family is mine. My mother, brother and I are so happy to have him.