When we walked in, he came right up and said hello like any polite dog ... and then he recognized us! He was wagging his tail and inhaling our familiar scents and was clearly very happy to see us. His new people said he hasn't greeted anyone else like that! Duggan spent a few minutes saying hi to all of us, and then as we moved into the house for a cup of coffee, he just meandered about, being his usual calm self. I called him by his old name and his head came right up and he came over to me - but apparently when his new family called "Duggan!" he ignored them. Apparently he knows which voices go with each of his names. :)
Duggan's new family are wonderful people, and clearly love having him in their home. They live in a beautifully renovated farm house and have a couple of horses and a lovely property. He is definitely looking older, but he seems to be in really good condition. The vet's still investigating a few things, but it seems like he's doing well for an older beagle.
There are just so many 'near misses' it's amazing - Duggan's Person (Miss Ruby) was hospitalized in the same hospital we took Dinosaur Boy to for his IV treatments, and Duggan would have been there visiting her at the same time we were there. And, the people who initially found and hosted him (and put up the signs that they'd found a beagle) are the family that we get grass fed beef from ... but we only started dealing with them recently, so it was long past the time Duggan had gone to his new home. Clearly he was where he needed to be. The Reluctant Farmer said, "I always told him he needed to get a job ... and so that's what he did. That's the first time he listened to me!"
We have a great 'open adoption' arrangement with the new family ... they'll keep us updated on Duggan's doings, and we are welcome to go and visit him at their home. What a wonderful happy ending for everyone.
What a sweet, sweet story! I love it!!
ReplyDeleteLove, AC