When I think about what a diamond means to some people, it conjures words such as precious, priceless, unique, valuable, beautiful and treasured. These descriptive adjectives can all be applied to two of the Baltimore Humane Societies’ recently adopted dogs. However, this adjective list referring to two canine friends could extend much longer than these few words mentioned here.

My first furry friend’s very name is synonymous to precious gems-Sparkle. Sparkle’s appealing characteristics are hard to confine to one short article. She was the essence of serenity and tranquility as she stood peacefully in her enclosure with barking and excitement all around. She was one of the many dogs at the Baltimore Humane Society who had a sweetness about her that made it impossible for anyone who encountered her to turn away from. As a new volunteer along with my mom, Sparkle made “learning the ropes” both easy and enjoyable and as one of our first dogs we encountered, she will remain a fixture in our hearts and memories forever. She quickly became a topic of conversation at home and soon even friends and co-workers knew who we were referring to when we gushed about Sparkle and how close to a “perfect dog” she is. Our greatest joy arrived when we learned that Sparkle had been adopted and would be able to enjoy the harmony and stability of her forever home. The Baltimore Humane Society granted two wishes…a forever home for Sparkle and a chance to learn from and enjoy a fantastic and beautiful soul in our friend Sparkle. We both miss and celebrate Sparkle’s adoption and wish her years and years of love, attention, loyalty and peace for this special puppy.

The next lovable pup who was recently taken to her forever home was our buddy Beth. Beth was a beautiful lab with an expressive face that seemed to be able to show emotions both with a wag of the tail and a smile on her face (if you think dogs don’t smile then you aren’t looking close enough). I instantly felt a special affinity for Beth as she was both gentle and lovable as well as being a special needs dog. Poor Beth has a slight issue with incontinence that is controlled with medication. Because the Baltimore Humane Society always feels a responsibility to be both honest and forthright about all their animals and any circumstances, issues or histories involved, I worried for Beth. I worried that her special need would keep her from ever finding her forever home and that charming, adorable Beth would be overlooked time and time again because of this unfortunate condition. When I was told one week that not only did pretty Beth have an application in but that the application had been accepted and she was supposed to go to her new home that very weekend, I thought I would burst! Some fantastic, empathetic, caring adopter saw past Beth’s special need and saw her as the same wonderful, majestic dog that I did and was willing to care for Beth as Beth would in turn care for them. The smile in my heart at the news would last for days and I extend my earnest, genuine and deepest thanks to that person or family here and now.

Both of these adopted pooches will provide their owners with a gift that far exceeds any possession or precious gem that they will get for their birthdays or Christmas. They will change these people’s lives forever and the memories they share will be irreplaceable. My mom and I have received these gifts from these two amazing companions just in the short time we knew them, so I can only imagine the bounty their new families will receive over the years.

As two of our first dogs encountered, they showed us how rewarding volunteering and spending time with the dogs can be. I never thought I would ever find a job volunteering that would be so fulfilling and enjoyable that there hasn’t been a moment that I felt as if it were a chore. As an avid Baltimore Ravens fan, I couldn’t imagine missing even a second of a game for any reason, but when I found out that Sundays were the only time that volunteering and spending time with the dogs would be viable for my schedule, I finally found something that meant even more to me than my precious Ravens. My mom and I anxiously await our time on Sundays with the dogs, often discussing them and looking at the website to see which dogs are new to the shelter and which of our pals have found a home throughout the week. When we get there, each moment with each dog is treasured, whether it means spending some time individually with them through the fence or taking them out to walk and train. We are shocked when the time comes to leave for the day as often that time is gone in the blink of an eye. We make multiple trips past the enclosures saying our farewells for the week to each kind, furry face. Whoever knew volunteering would be the pinnacle of our week as we leave with a feeling that just can’t be put into words and can only be experienced to really know the extent of the complete gratification that we’ve found.

I thank the Baltimore Humane Society and its friendly, encouraging staff for the opportunities we’ve enjoyed. I thank all the pups and furry faces for making each week different and exciting and utterly gratifying. Lastly, I congratulate our two special doggy graduates, Beth and Sparkle, for finding their oasis in a tough world and thank them for bringing a warm fuzzy feeling in our sometimes difficult and maddening lives. All these gems are truly diamonds to us…and you could be next to enjoy these treasures. See you at the Baltimore Humane Society.

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