Sugar Punkin came into our lives on Mother’s Day weekend in 2012, when Frank and I visited the dog pound in Tampa, Florida, hoping to find a new friend to bring home. We expected to walk through all the kennels and spend time considering which dog might be the right fit for our family. Instead, we only made it through a couple of rows before we saw her.

Inside one of the kennels, a shelter employee was sitting beside Sugar Punkin. Nearby, three or four little dogs were barking, jumping, and trying to get our attention as we approached. Sugar Punkin, a beautiful Bulloxer—an American Bulldog and Boxer mix—sat quietly with the employee, apart from all the commotion. There was something about her soulful eyes and sweet, loving face that immediately drew us to her.

We asked the employee whether Sugar Punkin was okay and whether that was why she was sitting inside the kennel with her. She told us that Punkin was perfectly fine. She simply wanted to spend some time with her because Punkin was scheduled to be put down that day.

By then, Sugar Punkin had already captured our attention and touched our hearts. When we heard she was on her last day, we looked at each other, and I immediately said, “Hell no. I am not going to let that happen.” I went straight to the front desk and told them that we wanted to adopt her right then. We did not continue walking through the kennels, and we did not look at another dog. Her soulful eyes and loving face drew us in, and learning what was about to happen made us certain that she was coming home with us.

We had to wait a couple of days while she was spayed, examined by the veterinarian, and prepared for adoption. Before long, though, she was home where she belonged, beginning what we lovingly describe as her best and goodest life.

Bringing Sugar Punkin home was one of the best decisions we ever made—for her and for us. She quickly became the heart of our family. She was gentle, intelligent, playful, and full of love. Strangers who met her fell in love with her almost immediately.

Sugar Punkin loved running and playing, especially with children and little dogs. Her favorite game was being chased. She would run ahead, turn around to make sure someone was following, and then take off again, clearly delighted by the attention.

She was also smart and eager to learn. Sugar Punkin attended Canine Good Citizen classes at Petco and proudly graduated. She loved going to Petco for her baths and grooming appointments and enjoyed all the attention she received there.

I had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2011, the year before we adopted Sugar Punkin. Once she became part of our family, she naturally grew into the role of my unofficial service dog. She instinctively stayed close and helped keep me steady while I walked. Although she was never formally trained for that role, she seemed to understand exactly when I needed her support.

When Sugar Punkin crossed the Rainbow Bridge in January 2019, our family was devastated. We did not simply lose a pet. We lost our companion, helper, protector, and the heart of our home.

Sugar Punkin was once only hours away from losing her life, but instead, she came home with us and became the best dog we could ever have asked for. Saving her that day changed her life, but the truth is that she changed ours just as much.