Reggieโs new owner was at his witโs end. He and his new adopted dog were just not getting along.
Reggie wouldnโt listen to a thing he said.
He was looking for the shelterโs number to let them know that he would be returning Reggie when he came across a letter from the dogโs owner. A letter that would completely change his mind.
โThey told me the big black Labโs name was Reggie, as I looked at him lying in his pen,โ his owner wrote. โThe shelter was clean, no-kill, and the people really friendly. Iโd only been in the area for six months, but everywhere I went in the small college town, people were welcoming and open. Everyone waves when you pass them on the street.โ
He found that there was something missing in his life and saw an advertisement for Reggieโs adoption on TV. The shelter chose him to be Reggieโs adopted father and he brought Reggie home along with his dog pad, toys, tennis balls, dishes, and a letter from his owner.
It didnโt take long before there was a strain on their relationship.
Reggie wouldnโt listen to any of the commands that he was supposed to have been taught and he wouldnโt respond when his new owner called his name.
โThis just wasnโt going to work,โ the new owner said. โHe chewed a couple shoes and some unpacked boxes. I was a little too stern with him and he resented it, I could tell.โ
He decided to call the shelter and was looking for the number when he found the letter from Reggieโs previous owner which left him with a shocking surprise about his dog.
The letter explains that โReggieโsโ owner, Army Solider Paul Mallory, had no choice but to give his dog up when he went to serve in Iraq. He had every intention of returning to the dog, however, that wasnโt the case so he might as well clue the new owner in on some things.
Mallory explained that his dog loves tennis balls and warned that he will go after those tennis balls no matter what, so be careful near traffic.
He explained how he trained Reggie and all of the commands Reggie knew. Then he went over his feeding schedule and medical background.
โFinally, give him some time. Iโve never been married, so itโs only been Reggie and me for his whole life,โ the owner explained. โHeโs gone everywhere with me, so please include him on your daily car rides if you can. He sits well in the backseat, and he doesnโt bark or complain. He just loves to be around people and me most especially. Which means that this transition is going to be hard, with him going to live with someone new.โ
Then Mallory drops a bomb. Reggie is not the dogโs name. The dogโs real name was Tank.
โAgain, if youโre reading this and youโre from the area, maybe my name has been on the news. I told the shelter that they couldnโt make โReggieโ available for adoption until they received word from my company commander,โ Mallory explained. โYou see, my parents are gone, I have no siblings, no one I couldโve left Tank with. And it was my only real request of the Army upon my deployment to Iraq , that they make one phone call to the shelter in the โeventโ to tell them that Tank could be put up for adoption. Luckily, my colonel is a dog-guy, too, and he knew where my platoon was headed. He said heโd do it personally. And if youโre reading this, then he made good on his word.โ
Mallory had one more request. That Tankโs new owner treat him like family and love him like Mallory loved him.
โGood luck with Tank. Give him a good home, and give him an extra kiss goodnight โ every night โ from me,โ Mallory wrote. โThank you, Paul Mallory.โ
Now that the new owner knew Tankโs real name and everything else about him, the two were able to restart their relationship.
Snopes reported that this story is not true, but despite the fact is still shows the profound impact a dogโs love can have on us and that everyone deserves โa little timeโ and a second chance.
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