On Feb. 14 you could be receiving a bouquet of red roses, a box of delicious chocolates or a life-size stuffed animal from your special someone.
Or you could be like me — “single as a pringle” on this particular Valentine’s Day — and you will either have to resort to buying those gifts yourself, hoping a friend will gift you with one, or doing nothing, and wallowing in your self-pity, spite and loneliness.
Ok that last part may be a tad dramatic, some people don’t even like Valentine’s Day and others enjoy being single, but lucky for all the romantics like myself, this year I have a solution: Coco.
I am not talking about cocoa the chocolate; I am talking about Coco the yellow Labrador Retriever who currently resides in the Dane County Humane Society. Coco is a 1-year-old female who weighs 50 pounds. She has the sweetest personality, lots of energy, and she tends to be a little nervous when she first meets someone, but once she fully warms-up to that person, Coco will never leave their side. As Stanley Leinwall once said, “no animal I know of can consistently be more of a friend and companion than a dog." That quote embodies Coco perfectly.
Coco’s last home was somewhere in the south, so she is not yet used to our Wisconsin winter weather.
This means she will take some time adjusting to the cold and may need a few extra cuddles from her owner. She is a Labrador Retriever which is a dog-breed who really enjoys exercising and playing, so someone who can spare some time in both the morning and night to walk with her would be ideal.
I know February and March tend to be on the cold side, but if you bundle up and do short spurts of walking, you can both get your exercise in during these final winter months!
Fortunately, Coco is up to date on all age-appropriate vaccinations; however, she is from the south where heartworm and other parasites are common, so she would benefit from visiting a veterinarian shortly after adoption. Coco’s adoption fee is 350 dollars plus tax. I know this may seem like an unattainable expense, especially as a college student; however, if you and a few of your friends/roommates’ all chip-in, the price becomes affordable.
If you are seriously considering adopting Coco at this time, here is the link to follow-through with it: Dane County Humane Society – Coco.
I will end this article with a quote from W. Bruce Cameron, the author of “A Dog’s Purpose,” “A Dog’s Journey,” and “A Dog’s Way Home”: “When we adopt a dog or any pet, we know it is going to end with us having to say goodbye, but we still do it. And we do it for a very good reason: They bring so much joy and optimism and happiness.
They attack every moment of every day with that attitude.”
This year instead of receiving cocoa the chocolate as a gift for Valentine’s Day, make a difference in an animal’s life, such as Coco, and gift her with a loving, caring and happy home.
I promise Coco is worth so much more than roses, chocolates, jewelry, a dinner date or a stuffed animal.
She will bring you so much joy and will be your life-long best friend for so many more years to come.
