Onyx Touches Our Lives

Onyx (is that a great dog's name or what?) is a black lab mix with a shiny coat and sincere eyes that seem to say, "Adopt me, and I'll love you with all my heart every minute of every day for the rest of my life."  And at less than two years of age, Onyx has a lot of love to offer.  His story follows an all too familiar pattern.

Onyx's people were a Miami area family with a 7 month-old baby.  Like lots of short haired dogs, Onyx sheds a bit, and the baby manages to pick up some dog hairs on its clothes.  First they tried leaving the dog in the yard all the time, but then they decided to get someone else to adopt the dog.  In my house no one would notice a few dog hairs, in spite of Charlene's regular, frequent, and energetic cleaning sessions.

Diana became aware of Onyx's plight and surely didn't want him to go to Miami- Dade Animal Control, a practically certain death sentence.  She told her boyfriend, Fernando, another animal lover, and he began a search for a better future for Onyx.

As it happens, Fernando is a nephew of Dulce, a close Cuban-American friend of mine.  Through her I had come to know Fernando who helps us ship boxes of vet medicines to Aniplant in Havana.  Fernando puts lots of effort into those shipments, and he has become an important link in our chain of people who help Cuban animals.  He emailed me about Onyx to see if we could help spread the word.

Charlene carefully reviews Internet postings of dogs needing rescue in the Miami area.  She closely watches a group called My Animals Rock, posted by a retired lawyer named Kathy who has placed hundreds of animals in recent years (including three with our family).  I suggested to Charlene she pass Onyx's information on to Kathy for wider publicity.  Charlene agreed but wasn't too optimistic, pointing out he's large (65 pounds) and black (a disadvantage for dogs needing homes).  My feeling was that Onyx had lots going for him. Like he was neutered, had all his shots, and is good with cats, dogs, children, and babies.  And, Fernando was willing to transport Onyx to any new home in Florida

I think Kathy was a little skeptical too, but she went right ahead and posted his availability after asking for a better photo.  Imagine all of our surprise when within two days of posting, we heard that Onyx had been adopted, moved, and settled into a new home in Palmetto Bay. Florida.  Fernando had done the transport, and he provided a video file with his email that showed Onyx doing laps in his new family's swimming pool.  Like all labs, Onyx loves the water.

There are thousands of stories with sad endings about homeless dogs, but there are also thousands of stories that end with, "happily ever after."  Onyx is well on his way to a happy life with his new big-hearted human companions.

Those persnickety people who were afraid to have dog hair on their baby's clothes don't know the years of joy and love they and their children will be missing.

Les Inglis