Laurence

I approached the Paws for Life K9 Rescue program tentatively, treading with caution, tiptoeing through a perceived minefield. I had never had a dog, having been born and raised in Compton, California, living predominantly in apartments that had pet restrictions and serving over 25 years in prison, I was never offered an opportunity to engage any significant experiences with them. Confined to the mystery of the unknown, I developed an ill-informed fear, leaving me in a state of terror when confronted.

I arrived on Lancaster’s progressive programming facility in November of 2018, knowing that the yard had a burgeoning K9 rescue program, vowing to keep my distance, rejecting thoughts of participation. My efforts failed miserably as the furry fellows in all of the adorableness called out like a trapped spirit, captivating my sensibilities, consuming my thoughts. Watching from the sidelines, I witnessed a tranquil humanity that I am not sure I have ever seen before. I questioned participants enquiring about the program, attempting to confirm my observations. Every person I questioned informed me that the humanity I witnessed was real. I wanted in.

I submitted and application and essay honestly stating the reasons I wanted to participate. Two months later I received a book entitled “The Dog Whisper” and was assigned to a mentor who took me to a rigorous training process that would leave me technically prepared. I faced fear head-on; utilizing a strategy I had picked up throughout a life hard lived. Enter Cupcake, the adorable K9 who would ultimately steal my heart like a thief in the night. Cupcake was the first dog assigned to my care or perhaps it was the other way around, I was assigned to her care. Assignment designations aside Cupcake wound up taking care of me, heightened my emotional intelligence, providing that healthy sense of humanity long denied, shelving reliance on the technical, birthing a tenderness that shattered the masculine mask I had worn like a badge of honor. The experience to this point has been truly amazing. Cupcake was a GODSEND!!