Tara Lynn: Happy birthday, Baxter!
My boy is 14 years old as of June 17th. Fourteen! All but the first three months of his life, he has been by our side.
Posted — UpdatedMy boy is 14 years old as of June 17th. Fourteen! All but the first three months of his life, he has been by our side.
We adopted Baxter in 2008. He was with a family who had seven kids. They moved from their rental and left him in the backyard. The landlord found him howling with an injured paw and nervous spirit. Baxter ended up at an animal rescue the next day.
I still remember my husband emailing me Baxter’s photo and profile, wondering if I also thought this cream-colored Beagle-mix could be “the one.” With little more than a few emails and a phone call with the shelter, we drove two and a half hours to meet him.
Baxter trembled as the volunteer placed him in Brandon’s arms. It took a soft voice and gentle strokes to show this little puppy he was now in safe hands. About 30 minutes later, Baxter was officially ours.
Baxter was technically Brandon’s dog. I was working in South Carolina as a news anchor for the NBC affiliate. Brandon was in Chapel Hill for his last year of law school and then moved to Washington D.C. Baxter adored Brandon. They went to the dog park, took evening walks and Baxter spent his days at the office with Brandon too.
Around Baxter’s second birthday, his loyalties shifted. He suddenly started growling at other dogs if they got close to me at the dog park. He followed me around the apartment and whined at the door when I left. These days, I can’t leave a room without Baxter trailing two steps behind.
At age 14, his walks are shorter. He sleeps more and is a bit calmer (thanks to a daily dose of Prozac).
But the biggest change over the last fourteen years? Me.
This frightened little puppy stole my heart. Baxter inspired me to take my love for animals and put it into action by volunteering with animal shelters and rescue groups. Baxter ignited my passion for photography and convinced me to trade in my TV news career to run my pet and family photography business full time.
Photographs have a special power. They can freeze time and tell a story. They can change a life. A single photo of an abandoned puppy changed mine forever. Now, I can give that gift to other families.
Happiest of birthdays to my little shadow.
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