Meet Olivia.
Olivia Valentine Champion Pink Moscato Oakland.
Olivia was by chance, but absolutely meant to be mine. There’s a pretty good story behind her adoption…
The night before Valentine’s Day (a little over a month ago), I couldn’t sleep at all. I had been debating getting an animal for a while, probably since before I moved in. Did I want a cat? They are easier, right? They use litter boxes, cuddle and sleep all day… Or, did I want a dog? A companion, walking, playing, everything, buddy? I have been going back and forth on getting a dog for months, mostly the back and forth part because even though I wanted one, I knew/know how much responsibility and liability they come with. Walks, feedings, vet bills, travel, etc. Not to mention the whole peeing everywhere, barking, whining and chewing or destroying everything that I often associate with them, generally.
Well that Valentine’s Eve night, I just could.not. get the thought of a dog out of my mind. I just had recurring strong feeling that I needed to drive to Paws tomorrow (Valentine’s Day), and adopt a dog, name it Valentine….Well, I didn’t. A month passed. I continued wanting, mulling and talking about getting a dog. Then Saint Patrick’s Day eve, about a month later, I had another sleepless night, and after having given it a lot of thought, I decided I would go to Paws “just to see” who was there.
Who was there was Olivia. Now I knew because I am generally a level-headed person, I would go in with a level headed, responsible approach. If it wasn’t meant to be, it wouldn’t be meant to be. I didn’t have to leave with dog, I didn’t want to jump into anything. But Olivia…Olivia who was rescued and taken in on Valentine’s Day, and named Valentine. Olivia who was so sweet, shaking, friendly and full of licks and kisses and her ‘happy dance.’ Olivia was different than these ‘other’ dogs. On her chart she had a big fat “NOT A BARKER” written across the top. She was four (not a puppy, which I KNEW I didn’t want). She was perfect…except for her tiny little kennel cough..
So I didn’t leave with her that day. Even though I had kind of already become smitten with her, I wanted to make sure I really thought it would be a good idea for me and not some decision I made coming off of zero sleep.. So I put a hold on her, which they let me do so that I could take her home “after her kennel cough is cleared up, after we’ve finished the antibiotics; this way you won’t have to pay for her prescription and go home with a sick dog.” [kennel cough btw is a highly contagious but very minor dog virus, similar to a human cold, often caught in kennels]
I came home that night after babysitting and couldn’t stop thinking about her. The next day was Sunday and I knew I had to have her. Monday morning I called the kennel and they told me I could come pick her up. Almost immediately after I left her there with that ‘hold’ I felt like I was leaving her, my, dog. I felt guilty that whole weekend, like I was responsible for her being there and needed to go save her.
I love that she was taken in on Valentine’s Day and named Valentine. I really felt like it was, was meant to be…
Jaclyn & Olivia































































