Last July on a beautiful Sunday morning, my partner, Bob and I were down in the Castro doing our usual grocery shopping, etc….when we noticed the Rocket Dog Rescue Adoption booth on 18 & Castro Streets. It was ironic because we were just at the SPCA the day before and unfortunately we did not feel we would have been a match for any of the many wonderful dogs up for adoption.
We immediately fell in LOVE with little “POPPA”, (he told us he wanted to be called “POPPY”) but were told that someone already had adopted him, but…..that the adoption would not be final unless the prospective parents were there to pick him up by 3:00 pm. We walked towards the car with such heavy hearts. I literally prayed to God to please let those other people have a change of heart and allow that beautiful little creature to come home with us, and become a part of our family. Well…3:00 pm rolled around and sure enough…POPPY was ours!!!!!!!
However, our happiness was short-lived. Two weeks after we brought POPPY home our landlord served us with a 3-day notice to Cure or Quit (Basically, this means to get rid of your Dog or face eviction). We were both flabbergasted!!! Mainly because of the fact that Bob was allowed to have a dog in the same building from 1996 until MAX passed away in 2002. I remember looking at little POPPY playing happily with his little POSTMAN stuffed animal and I burst into tears! I decided right then and there that no one was going to take him away from us!! NO WAY, NO HOW!!!!
Well, with pereserverance, prayer, and some help from Molly Stafford at The AIDS Legal Referral Panel, and PAWZ, we were able to keep our beloved POPPY, and remain in our apartment.!!! I cannot begin to tell you how much happiness and joy POPPY has brought into our lives!!! We’re a Family now!!!
Thank You, Rocket Dog Rescue, for allowing us to adopt POPPY and for all that you do in making a difference in people’s lives!!!
Sincerely,
Stanley T. Grant, Robert L. LaFalcia, and POPPY too!!