Bonnie Shores had hoped to receive a new puppy, but she hadn’t anticipated it happening in the way it did.
Shores and her husband, Patrick, were driving to their house in the Village of Summerhill on July 4 when they spotted a dog racing across the street and into the pool parking lot.
The Shores attempted but failed to catch her. They walked around the area for a half hour but couldn’t find her.
They weren’t able to catch her till they returned home. When Patrick spotted her walking down the street, he crouched at the end of his driveway and called out to the dog, who came over. Patrick and Bonnie have been caring for the puppy since that night and have legally adopted her as their own. Lucy, a probable collie-Labrador mix, is around 4 years old.
Bonnie expressed an interest in getting a puppy, but Patrick wasn’t sure whether now was the appropriate time until they both saw Lucy, a nickname given to her by everyone in the neighborhood.
“We just kept falling in love with her more and more every day,” Bonnie said. “She is just the best dog.”
Bonnie bathed Lucy and removed ticks from her after the Shores had her in their house. Bonnie shared a photo of herself on Nextdoor, an international app that connects individuals in similar communities, to see if anyone knew who she was or who owned her. She received a lot of feedback, and it turns out that the dog left an effect on a number of other individuals in the neighborhood.
For a time, the dog had been a stray, and other Villagers had been attempting to catch her. After Bonnie posted the news on Nextdoor, everyone was relieved to learn that the puppy had found a new home.
Bonnie and Patrick had only intended to keep her for a few days while they figured out what to do with her.
“Of course, one day turned into a week and turned into a month,” Bonnie said.
Lucy grew on them every day, and on Aug. 3, the Shores welcomed her into their family and bought Lucy a tag.
“I’m 100% happy,” Bonnie said.
Patrick needed more persuasion.
“It’s kind of nice being without pets, and it was never my desire to have another dog for a while,” he said.
But now he enjoys having the dog as well.
“She’s actually just a fantastic dog, wants attention, wants to be loved and wants to be a good pet for us,” Patrick said.
Bonnie brought her to the veterinarian to receive her vaccines and make sure she was healthy. Lucy has settled in nicely to her new home, and she even got along with the Shores’ grandkids when they paid her a visit.
Many people will yell out Lucy’s name when the Shores take her for a walk as well, and they are pleased to see her with her owners.
Lucy is devoted to Patrick and Bonnie and enjoys accompanying them everywhere they go, according to Patrick.
Bonnie enjoys taking Lucy on a spin in her vehicle or golf cart and seeing her poke her head out the window.
“She’s so happy to be going for a ride,” Bonnie said.