I was just a volunteer when

[TheSkeptic]

he arrived at the shelter. A scruffier looking dog never existed. He looked like a maniac sculpturer's attempt to create a Sheltie. Wirey reddish brown and black black fur stuck out from his body without rhyme or reason. They were going to put him down as unadoptible, but something about his eyes and the way he pranced around the yard and smiled made me argue to save him. In order to keep from alienating a valuable volunteer, they agreed to save him. Weeks went by, but the constant refrain was "He is a nice dog, but he looks so weird." Time was running out and I was getting desparate. Finally, one of the rescuers contacted a woman who used to foster, but quit when her son became very ill. The woman reluctantly agreed to come see Prancer on her way home from the Doctor's with her son. The boy was in high school and well aware of what his illness forebode and was very depressed. They showed up at the shelter and Prancer came out doing his little dance in the yard. The boy was not interested, and Prancer stopped and looked at him sitting dejectedly by the side of the shelter. He ran over and before we knew it had jumped up and was giving the boy all sorts of Doggy kisses. The boy smiled and Prancer had a foster home. They loaded him in the back of the SUV and the last I saw of him that day was when they stopped at the gate before leaving he jumped up with his paws on the back window and gave a bark and seemed to smile at me before jumping over the back seat to be by the boy. I thought that I would not see him again I was wrong.

Weeks went by and we heard nothing from the people then came a phone call. One of several we would get over the next few years. Prancer was sleeping in the bed with the boy, against medical advice. One night Prancer came rushing into the lady's room barking frantically. They got up and Prancer raced between the boy's room and their room barking the whole time. They went into the boy's room and found that the boy had had a seizure and swallowed his tongue. The lady, a Nurse, knew what to do and did it to save her son. Prancer was no longer in a Foster Home, but his forever home.

Prancer got rated as a Special Therapy dog and went everywhere with the boy. They even visited us once with Prancer proudly wearing his brightly colored vest with its ID tag. He seemed to remember us, but it was clear that the boy was the center of his world.

We heard more over the interveening years. Shortly after Prancer saved him the boy graduated and went to college, with Prancer of course. At college he met a girl and when he graduated they got married. Prancer went on the honeymoon. The boy is just now graduating as a veterinarian. Yesterday we got one last call from them. Prancer came down with cancer and had to be put to sleep.

[Tambrey]

what a wonderful story...I had tears from happiness even before they turned to tears of sad...

Prancer was very fortunate to have come into your life that day....look at what you did for him and an entire family...a new generation and a veterinarian....

Even though it is sad that Prancer has moved on...he left alot behind...

Dance free {{{Prancer}}}

[Marty]

Aww, that's a great story! Prancer had a special purpose in life and you helped him find it. Run free, Prancer...job well done!

[Traci]

Aww geez, what a heartwarming story! Thank you for not giving up on Prancer, it is obvious he had a unique purpose in life. I truly believe all pets do.

((((HUGS))))

[JUDY S]

I am thankful for the computer screen hiding me from my co-workers. What a wonderful story. My heart goes out to the couple who just lost Prancer.