Healing. Hope. A fresh start. Three things that every homeless animal who comes to the Nova Scotia SPCA can count on. Just like Bucky did.
Seven-year-old Bucky was seized by SPCA Enforcement Officers on May 19, 2022, and brought to safety at the Kings SPCA Shelter. Despite his history, Bucky had a calm gentle nature and tried to give hugs to everyone at the shelter. When he was put up for adoption, everyone hoped that this sweet senior boy would find a special home. And he definitely did!
Glenn had never had a dog before and initially set out to adopt a puppy. But when he saw Bucky’s photo and write-up, he was immediately drawn to him. Glenn related “Becoming a first-time ‘dog dad’ was very exciting. I had looked after my friends’ dogs before, but never had a dog of my own. I got to thinking that an older dog would be more relaxed than a puppy. When I met Bucky, he was definitely charming and after eight hours of not being able to get him out of my mind, I knew it was the right thing to do. Adopting Bucky was one of the best decisions I have ever made!”
Bucky and Glenn definitely have the perfect partnership. “Yes, I admit that Bucky does sleep in my bed (our bed now!),” laughed Glenn. “I go to sleep in a great mood and wake up in a great mood. I must say that waking up to a 95-lb dog standing above you first thing in the morning wakes you up fast! We have breakfast together (Bucky’s a foodie) while we listen to music and then we start our day off with a walk. He loves relaxing on the deck, watching his dad cut the lawn, hanging out with my friends (our friends now!) and snuggling. Bucky also likes to swim and is always surprised when his dad joins him in the water.”
Bucky is well-behaved, smart, and always listens to his dad, even when it comes to cats. Glenn shared “When I adopted Bucky, I was told that he does not like cats. The problem?? A very good friend of mine has a cat and we both thought ‘oh, oh.’ On the drive over to meet Amy the cat for the first time, I told Bucky that this cat is not to be touched or I would be dead! As we carefully introduced Bucky and Amy, it was clear that Bucky understood what I had told him. After a few visits, Bucky had a new feline friend in Amy. And interestingly, Bucky purrs just like a cat!”
Bucky has experienced a lot of ‘firsts’ together with Glenn. For instance, Glenn said “Bucky met horses for the first time the other day. He was a little unsure, but his tail started to wag when he saw me patting the horses.”
Having Bucky by his side has allowed Glenn to tap back into being a kid again. “Yes, Bucky has been a driving force behind that as well,” chuckled Glenn. “I quickly learned that dog toys just don’t cut it with Bucky. So, what to do?? I looked on YouTube and saw a video of a dog playing with a radio-controlled tank like the one I used to play with ‘back in the day.’ I ordered one and Bucky watched with interest as I put it together. Now, he likes to follow the tank and tries to figure out what it’s going to do next.”
When asked what difference Bucky has made in his life, Glenn replied “I no longer think of myself as ‘I’; now it’s ‘we.’ My world before Bucky was work, sleep, cottage, friends which is fine from one perspective. Now that Bucky is in my life, he reminds me that a walk is good for you and he ensures I go to bed at a reasonable hour! He also makes me slow down and enjoy the moment. Oh yes, housework – I don’t think I have ever done as much cleaning or vacuuming in my life,” Glenn chuckled, “but it’s odd, I enjoy it now!”
Glenn praised staff members at the Kings SPCA. “They are the best! They knew that I was a first-time dog dad and they explained everything thoroughly so I could give Bucky the care and attention he needs. Bucky and I go back to visit every few months and you can see that the staff genuinely care about him.”
Glenn encourages everyone to think about adopting a senior pet. He shared “Older dogs sometimes have trouble getting adopted because people may tend to look for puppies like I did at first. Someone may think ‘This pet is older and you just don’t know how long they will live.’ But when you fall in love, be it with another person or an animal, we should listen to our hearts. I’m so glad I did. Who’s to say that Bucky won’t outlive me?! I wanted to ensure that Bucky would be well looked after if something did happen to me, so I asked a special someone to be Bucky’s Godmother. She spoils him now and I know she would cherish him always.”
You can give the gift of new beginnings to homeless animals like Bucky. Please donate today.