Celebrating Rory’s Gotcha Day and 12 Years of Licks, Pats & AAT
This month isn’t just any month—it’s a special one here at our practice because it marks the 12th anniversary of Rory’s Gotcha Day, coinciding beautifully with National Pet Day (12th April)! Today, I feel compelled to share the heartwarming tale of how Rory, our OG therapy dog, came into our lives and quickly captured our hearts.
Twelve years ago, we embarked on a search for a new furry family member, hoping to find a puppy who was good with cats and comfortable being a cozy lap dog. Our journey led us to what we thought was a reputable breeder, but who turned out to be a puppy farm front. Looking back, there were warning signs we missed, but at that time, our knowledge about this industry was almost non-existent (more on that in the story of Winston and Sophie’s Gotcha Days).
Amidst the last of a litter of Cavalier crosses, there was Rory—distinctively marked with a cute little stripe down her nose, which inexplicably made her less desirable to others (we thought it was adorable!). Hence, she was about to “age out’ (at 4 months) of being a ‘sellable’ puppy.
The moment Rory and I met, though, it felt like fate. She approached me enthusiastically, her tail wagging happily. But then, she headed straight off to explore the rest of the space—and hopped right into my oversized green handbag as if she’d found her place in the world. Right then, I knew—Rory was a fellow bag addict and was obviously meant to be part of our family.
bag today
Bringing Rory home was an adventure. She was quickly accepted by two of our cats, while the third, Lara, took a bit more convincing. Rory proved to be a quick learner, especially in understanding Lara’s boundaries. Later that day, when my husband, Mat, returned from work, Rory ran up to greet him, leaping into his arms as if they’d always been best friends. It sealed the deal, and Mat, who, as a cat person, was always highly amused by my obsession with dogs, became a devoted dog lover himself (he’s actually more of a sucker than me these days!)
As we celebrate this milestone, Rory’s journey from a little puppy in a handbag to a key member of our therapy team (you can read more about her evolution from destructo-puppy to consummate professional HERE and HERE), deserves to be told and retold. Her story is not just ours but a testament to the incredible bond we humans can share with our pets and with animals in general.
We’re excited to explore more of Rory’s past adventures and her ongoing impact as a therapy dog in future posts, as well as telling Winston and Sophie all about their own Gotcha Days!
For now, we invite you to join us on Instagram or Facebook, where we regularly share stories like this and always celebrate the amazing connections between animals and their human companions.
Thanks for reading!
