EAST SOOKE, B.C. — Joshua Rose had just started scrolling through social media when he suddenly stopped after seeing a post about a dog who’d been abandoned.
“It said the dog was tied to a stop sign,” Joshua says. “He was just left there with a bag and a note.”
A note that said, ‘Help me please.’
“I just thought I’m going to bring that dog home.” Joshua says it was love at first sight.
Minutes later, Joshua had connected with the person who found the pup, and was told the bag contained $500 plus a five-page letter explaining why the owner had made such a drastic decision.
Joshua says the details in the letter are far to personal to repeat.
“There’s a lot going on in their life,” Joshua says. “And (the dog named Andy) deserved better they thought.”
Linda Watson also saw the post on social media. She runs the volunteer animal rescue organization Salish Paws and was alarmed to see that one of Andy’s eyes was enlarged.
“It was quite obvious there was some trauma to his eye,” Linda recalls thinking. “We need to get him to a vet right away.”
Linda contacted the local animal hospital. Although she didn’t have an appointment and it was scheduled to close in 30 minutes, the staff worked late for hours to care for Andy.
“It was determined that eye could not be saved,” Linda says. “It had to come out.”
Despite the dog losing an eye, and them gaining a big vet bill, Joshua and his wife Gabriella still agreed to adopt Andy.
“I just love animals. That’s just how it is,” Joshua says. “And we’ve always wanted (a dog).”
Linda launched a fundraiser for Andy, which inspired dozens of people to donate enough cans and cash to pay for the full vet bill and fill Joshua with gratitude.
“It’s a beautiful thing for everyone to come together for him,” Joshua says.
Now Joshua and Andy do everything together, from walking in the woods, to riding shotgun in the professional driver’s semi-truck.
“You just couldn’t ask for a better dog,” Joshua smiles.
Joshua also operates a fishing charter company, which is donating proceeds from each trip to Linda’s animal rescue, and training Andy to be his one-eyed furry first mate.
“And his nickname is ‘Pirate Andy’,” Linda smiles. “He really hit the lottery.”
The couple’s hearts couldn’t be bigger, despite wishing their bed was.
“Andy sleeps with us and takes up the whole bed,” Joshua laughs. “We get a lot less sleep, but he’s happier.”
