On This Night
From Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Hilarious, Heroic, Human Dog
By Barbara Woods

It is astonishing how little one feels alone when one loves.
~John Bulwer

Lincoln was about six months old when he was taken home from a local animal shelter by a well-intentioned married couple. But shortly thereafter, the pup’s new life fell apart. His adoptive humans quit their marriage, and Lincoln was relegated to an outdoor kennel. He was fed and watered daily, and the kennel was kept clean. But as Lincoln’s newly single parent was distracted by life, there was little human interaction.

On my occasional trips to this small farm, I always looked forward to visiting the kennel for a rendezvous with Linc. He was a handsome, buff-colored Husky/Shepherd mix. His dreary existence seemed forgotten during our visits; his joyful exuberance could not, or would not, be contained. Frequently, I thought about taking him home with me. But I was young, busy, had a kitty named Trina, and was living in an urban apartment. (Keep reading)