My name wasn’t always Jasper. There was a time before this life, and it matters that I talk about it.
I’m Jasper now, but the shelter called me Taden. I was a stray. I don’t know everything about how I ended up there — I was young and the memories are incomplete. What I do know is that at some point, I was in a shelter without a family, and then my family walked in.
They said they were “just looking.” I did a full body wiggle and flopped over for belly rubs.
They didn’t stand a chance.
What Being a Rescue Means
I think about this sometimes, especially when I’m doing something like floating in the pool or riding in the RV through somewhere beautiful. I have this life because two people walked into a shelter and chose me specifically.
That’s not something I take lightly.
Rescue dogs come from different situations. Some were strays like me. Some were surrendered by families who couldn’t keep them — job loss, landlord rules, new baby, life changes. Some came from difficult situations I don’t need to detail here. Some were found. Some were pulled from shelters that were out of space.
All of us needed somewhere to go. A lot of us found it.
What I Might Have Been
This is the part I think about when I’m being dramatic about things. When I’m complaining about the pool being closed, or Monday, or a sound I don’t like — I remember what the alternative looked like.
Not every dog in that shelter found what I found. Some waited longer. Some waited too long. I was lucky in a way that has nothing to do with me and everything to do with timing.
My humans walked in on a specific day and I was there on that day. That’s the whole story.
What Rescue Dogs Bring
There’s a thing people say about rescue dogs being grateful. I want to be honest about this because I think it’s more complicated than gratitude.
I don’t think I’m running on gratitude. I think I’m running on love. The same love any dog feels for their family. What’s maybe different is that I came into my family understanding — even if not consciously — that families can be found. That belonging is something that happens. That a home is not just a place, it’s people.
That’s the thing about dogs who’ve been without: we know what we have now.
What I’d Say to the Humans Considering Rescue
If you’re thinking about getting a dog, consider a rescue or shelter. Not because purebred or breeder dogs don’t deserve homes too — they do — but because the shelters are full of dogs who are absolutely ready to be someone’s everything and just need the chance.
Don’t count out older dogs. I was young when I was adopted, but older dogs — adults, seniors — are often calmer, often already trained, often overlooked because everyone wants a puppy. They have so much to offer.
And if you’re nervous about “not knowing the history” — that’s real, and it’s okay to be thoughtful about it. Good shelters and rescues know their animals well. Ask questions. Talk to the staff. Be honest about your lifestyle. They want good matches as much as you do.
What This Life Is
I live in Massachusetts and sometimes on the road in an RV. I have a pool in the summer. I have a best friend named Augie. I have two cat siblings. I have a family who takes me on adventures.
I was Taden once. Now I’m Jasper.
Best trade I ever made. 🐾