Posted August 10, 1997

Magic was out of time at a Wisconsin shelter. She was an older girl, and the staff worried that no one would adopt her. They contacted us in an effort to save this sweetheart. Our posting did the trick. It was spotted by a wonderful man and his wife. Now Magic is part of their family. Please read her story in her new father's words.

Some things are just meant to be. A little girl cocker named Magic was meant to live with us.

I originally found the Cocker Spaniel Adoption Center quite by accident. I was looking for some Cocker-oriented graphics, and the CSAC site was one the search engine produced. This was six or seven months ago. For some reason I bookmarked the page. About three or four weeks ago, my wife and I started having one of those quarterly conversations about whether we should get a companion for Bart, our little black male. I showed her the CSAC page on a Thursday night, and under the EMERGENCY listing was an eight-year old girl named Magic. She was being held in a shelter about 90 miles north of us. 

The next morning I called and was told that Magic had already been applied for, but there were two other spaniels in the shelter. "What the heck!" We made an appointment to drive up and see them on Saturday. When we got there, they brought out the two spaniels, both males, both un-neutered. Bart did not get along with either one.

One of the handlers told us that Magic was still there. The husband of the woman who applied for Magic had stopped by and was unimpressed. Magic had apparently ignored him. The dolt didn't realize that after being cooped up in a cage for close to twenty hours a day that running, peeing, and pooping -- not making friends with humans -- is the first priority for any dog. The couple was supposed to come back that day, but they had not arrived by the time we got there. The handler brought her out. She ran, peed, pooped, and ignored Bart. Bart ignored her. A perfect match. The people at the shelter thought so as well because they said we could take her with us if we wanted. (Personally, I don't think they liked the husband's attitude.)

It was a very happy and very aromatic ride home. Valerie and I agree that there is nothing on earth like the aroma of an animal that's been in a shelter. We arrived home, and it was straight into the tub. The rest of Saturday and Sunday were spent getting acquainted with both us, Bart, and the surroundings. On Monday, it was off the the beauty parlor and to the vets for a checkup and shots. She had an upper respiratory infection which needed to be treated before she could get her rabies shot. She also had the standard spaniel ear problem (severe enough that they would need to be flushed), and she needed to have her teeth scraped. Off we went with our heartworm pills and antibiotics.

The following Friday she went back to the vet for the remainder of her treatment. I hope she didn't think she was being surrendered again. I felt guilty. That night we picked her up with great joy. I think you can see from the pictures that she has adapted to her new life quite well, and we, as well as Bart, couldn't be happier. Another great ending with many, many thanks to Valerie and the Cocker Spaniel Adoption Center.