McKinley's Story!

McKinley's Story!

In late 1997 my husband, my two dogs and I and were preparing to move out of my parents' home where we had lived for a year-and-a-half. As the time to move was nearing I noticed that my dad was having a hard time thinking about parting with my doxie, Abercrombie. He had grown very attached to "Abe" and every time we mentioned leaving my dad's eyes would get misty.

My mom decided she might consider getting my dad his own little doxie to love as a surprise for his November birthday, so I sprang into action (knowing what joy a doxie brings to people's lives) and visited the Dachshund Rescue Web Page. I chose a posting from a family in Indiana who had a few puppies who needed homes and sent them an email. They were touched by my story and selected McKinley from their litter especially for my dad.

The next dilemma was figuring out how to transport "Mac" from Indiana to California with limited funds. I got creative..... My husband's family had recently moved to Oklahoma and he was missing them terribly. I made arrangements to fly my husband to Oklahoma City to visit his parents, where he also picked up Mac who had flown cargo from Indiana. My husband carried him as carry-on luggage in a cute little carrier and I gave him a big red bow to put on the carrier before he got off the plane in CA.

The next hurdle was figuring out a way to get my dad to Los Angeles International Airport to watch his new surprise doxie get off the plane! Then I heard a report on the news that there was a man who had been bothering women who were by themselves in elevators at LAX. Ahhh.....I had a reason to ask my dad to accompany me to pick up my husband!

So my mom, dad and I drove to Los Angeles and waited at the gate for my husband's plane. My husband got off the plane with Mac in his carrier and my dad saw that little nose sticking out of the carrier and the big red bow and knew why he was there! His own "special delivery!"

I think the best part of this story is that a few weeks after Mac moved in with my parents, my dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer and scheduled for surgery in late December. Mac was neutered the same week as my dad's surgery and they recovered together and bonded. That little dog stole everyone's hearts and helped a wonderful man to survive the emotional hardship that cancer brings to one's life.

We all love Mac who gets sweeter and more loving every day. And my dad, who has been cancer-free since his surgery in December 1997, will always have a special place in his heart for his little "therapy dog."