Alma Chavez and her new canine companion Scooter are already fast friends.
"He makes us happy," Chavez said sitting inside her Dallas home as Scooter offered his paw to shake.
Scooter was 3 years, 4 months, and 9 days old when he was seized from his previous home and taken to the SPCA in Dallas. That's where Chavez first saw him on Clear the Shelters Day last Saturday.
"I went back to where Scooter was and he kept looking at me with that sad eyes," Chavez said. "He started licking me and started wagging his tail, and that's when, like, 'this is mine!'"
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While Chavez rescued Scooter, who had been at SPCA since April, Scooter also rescued Chavez.
"I suffer with stage-I cancer, uterus cancer," Chavez said. "My uncle is suffering from cancer. He has stage IV. So, it's helping both of us to deal with our issues."
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Chavez's uncle, Javier Benites, walks Scooter after his radiation treatments. "He likes my uncle a lot," Chavez said.
Chavez had another dog before Scooter.
"I did. His name was Chow Boy and he passed away," Chavez said. That was just three weeks ago. "It was hard for my baby to go."
Chavez's doctor prescribed something she couldn't get at a pharmacy.
"I've been going through a lot," Chavez admitted. "I know my doctor told me that depression is bad, stress is bad, so he told me to get a dog."
That's how Scooter got his new home: a rescue dog that rescued his humans right back.
"You know he feels the love," Chavez said. "He feels that he's in a home. He's in a family that loves him."
To learn more about Clear The Shelters 2022 and search for adoptable pets in your area, visit cleartheshelters.com. You can also donate to your local animal shelters and rescue groups by visiting clearthesheltersfund.org.
