Always the first full week in May, National Pet Week® is dedicated to celebrating the more than 200 million pets that enrich our lives each and every day. Throughout the course of the year, GTHS features our adopted pets. This week, we polled our staff at the Shelter to provide stories about how their very own GTHS adopted pet enriches their lives 
Jessica and Andy
I started at the GTHS last year as a volunteer dog walker – my life was in overdrive and I didn’t seem to have enough time in the day for anything. Knowing I didn’t have time to own a dog I set out multiple hours a week to come in and visit with ours at GTHS to help in their transition to forever homes.
I grew up with dogs as my mother was a foster for the OSPCA and we had a fair share of family pets. In early November, three 4 month old puppies showed up through ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation) from the Northern region. I and two other volunteers took the pups for their first walk together – Andy was one of those three. He has such a huge personality and I couldn’t stop smiling with him in my presence. I knew my lifestyle had to change because by the end of the week I hoped to have a dog! I spent the week finalizing my decision and ensuring my life could be on board with this big life change. As I had thought, by the end of the week Andy was home with me!
Since our new life beginning in November Andy has truly made my life a much better one. We have been involved in multiple stages of dog school, we have been taking adventures daily and working together to ensure our life remain busy, adventurous, active and positive. I am a competitive athlete and so our training and socialization has been a huge start to our life together as he will be attending many events, wake park sites and road trips – if I’m experiencing something in life, so is Andy.
He has grown into such a well socialized, active, happy and smart little dude. He is truly my best friend and I am so thankful to the GTHS and ARF for bringing him safely to my life.
~ Jessica, Resource Development Coordinator at GTHS
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