A NIGHT WITH SUMMER

A Night With Summer

written by Jayson Kimberly HFM Kid Ambassador and founder of Leave it for the Pooch

In the fall of 2019, I was invited by Abandoned Animal Rescue (AAR) of Magnolia, Texas, to participate in “A Night in the Dog House,” a unique event to raise funds for their rescue animals. Volunteers would spend a night with a dog in a kennel, so humans could experience the shelter world through a dog’s eyes.

I was grateful that AAR of Magnolia reached out to me to take part in their Night in the Dog House event and could not wait to tour my 12- hour living quarters. Upon arriving, I was greeted by some fantastic volunteers who spoke about the event as we walked toward the indoor kennel room. All the dogs were excited to see us, barking and wagging their tails as we walked in.

As I rounded the corner, I saw a beautiful brown Pitbull mix lying on a dog cot in a kennel. I looked at her information sheet and learned that her name was Summer and that she had been at the shelter for a long time. She and a fur friend were brought to the rescue together. Her friend got adopted soon after.

The volunteers noticed my interest in Summer and asked if I would like to step inside and say hello. As I entered, I bent down and introduced myself to her. She looked at me with her big, brown eyes as if she wanted to respond but could not. She obviously enjoyed the company because she was jumping all over me and giving me kisses.

Even with the short time I spent with her on the tour, I had trouble understanding why she hadn’t been adopted. Was it because she was a pit mix? I never could figure it out, but I knew she was special and had love

to share with everyone. Even though someone had thrown her away, she still had hope that there was someone out there who would want her. I promised her if she wasn’t adopted by the time the event took place, I would share the kennel with her.

Jayson & Summer

SUMMER’S DREAMS

Summer stayed on my mind after I left the shelter. I wanted her to be adopted and have the love given back to her just like she gave to me in the short time I was with her. I saw her joy having me in the kennel, and I felt sad having to leave her behind.

Weeks passed, and I raised thousands of dollars for the rescue with Summer as my focus. I shared her photo over and over in hopes someone would adopt her before the event, but that wasn’t meant to be.

That day, I arrived with a lot of stuff to decorate in hopes I could make Summer’s kennel more like a home for her. I brought blankets and pillows, dog toys, treats; I even brought pajamas for her and me.

Summer had an indoor-outdoor kennel, so while I decorated inside, she patiently waited outside. When we finally let her in, she was excited to see the newly decorated kennel and see me again. I could tell by her reaction that she hadn’t expected something like this and really wanted more attention and love. I quickly dressed her in her pajamas and gave her the toys and a few of her treats. As I was giving her these, I wondered if she had ever had any toys of her own. I laid down in the kennel, trying to imagine what it was like for her without everything I had brought. The floor was cold, hard concrete. She had a cot but nothing else.

MORNING PROMISE

I thought about the show she had to put on as strangers walked by just to get attention, competing with the other dogs. I felt sad for her, wanting to give her the things she has been without all of her life. Luckily, I had plenty of blankets, treats, and all the other things she needed to be happy through the night.

Since I could not adopt her because of my five dogs, I did the best I could to get her out there, sharing her pictures throughout the night.

After falling asleep, I had learned that she had soon laid down next to me, drifting to sleep.

The next morning, I woke up to good and bad news. The good news was I had won the dog-tired award as I was the first person to fall asleep. But I was also faced with the fact I would soon be saying goodbye to Summer again.

I gave her all the treats and hugs I could and promised to share her picture until she had a home. I really didn’t want to abandon her, but I knew she would get adopted soon.

Abandoned Animal Rescue, Magnolia, TX

A LIFE SHE DESERVES

Not long after that AAR called to tell us that my wish had come true. Summer had gotten her forever home.

It’s been over a year now, and I still think about her, so I reached out to AAR for an update. Here’s what her owners said: “It’s hard to believe Summer has been with us almost a year! It has been great, and she is the perfect fit for our family! She loves to snuggle, play, lay in the sun, and go for walks. She had gotten really spoiled with all the time we spent with her over the Coronavirus break but has since adjusted to us going back to work. We believe the only reason she was with AAR for so long is because she was waiting on us to find her!”

I was thrilled to see her again through all of the pictures they sent, and I was as happy as when I had spent the night with her.

GET INVOLVED

Abandoned Animal Rescue is a no-kill dog / cat shelter located in Magnolia serving Northwest Harris and Southern Montgomery Counties in Texas. It is staffed by dedicated volunteers devoted to saving the lives of homeless and unwanted companion animals.

AAR’s mission is to work towards ending pet overpopulation that results in the euthanasia of unwanted cats and dogs. We do this by providing a rescue and adoption center, by emphasizing the importance of spaying and neutering and by educating on humane animal ownership. AAR is committed to the emotional, physical, and behavioral well being of each animal in our care.

All animals surrendered to the shelter are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and wormed; dogs are tested for heartworms and, if positive, are treated.

All operating money for AAR comes from clinic and adoption fees, donations, and fundraisers. AAR receives no government money.

ADOPT YOUR FUREVER FRIEND

32632 Wright Rd, Magnolia, TX 77355 www.aartexas.org

Jayson Kimberly- Founder of Leave it for the Pooch

FOUNDER OF LEAVE IT FOR THE POOCH

Leave it for the Pooch is a 501(c)3 animal welfare organization that was born from the dedication of an 11 year old boy who wanted to improve the lives of the homeless animals in his community. What started as a “Pennies Four Paws” campaign evolved into a nationally recognized organization comprised of a small group of volunteers who believe that Jayson and other young people like him can have a major and lasting impact on their communities and beyond. Jayson has been advocating and raising money for animals since 2017 and continues to do so.

Follow Jayson on his mission to help animals in need by visiting his website at www.leaveitforthepooch.com. You can also follow Jayson on facebook and instagram @leaveitforthepooch.