Buddy's Story, by Chris Bigot

A few years back I was looking for my next dog. Visiting local shelters, I met several wonderful dogs but none of them seemed quite right for me. Then one day I saw Buddy and knew immediately he was the one.

To seal the deal, I needed to pay $75 in cash and I didn’t have that much money on me, so I said, “I want that dog, hold him for me, I’ll be right back.” I ran to the nearest ATM and was back in 20 minutes, only to discover that a family was already in the visitor room getting to know Buddy and maybe about to take him home (Yikes!). I ran up waving my money in the air and adopted Buddy on the spot.

Homeward Bound

Right from the beginning, Buddy was a very special dog. He was outgoing and friendly, and there wasn’t a person or dog on the planet that Buddy didn’t love. Because he was only 6 months old, he had lots of energy, and he could be mischievous at times. When he could get away with it, he liked to pull the insoles out of my shoes and rip them into little pieces. He did the same with toilet paper rolls. That said, we got along famously, we did everything together, and soon he was my best friend.

Goodwill Ambassador

One of the first times I saw Buddy work his magic was at our neighborhood pub. There was an older woman who came in often but always kept her distance because she had a life-long fear of dogs. One day I asked if she would be comfortable petting him, and although clearly terrified, she decided to give it a try. Buddy immediately won her over, and she had a “special dog friend” until she sadly passed away a few months later. 

Channeling All That Energy

When Buddy was 6 or 7, I decided to explore volunteer opportunities. I wanted to do some good, spend more time with Buddy, and also give us both a chance to make a difference in our community. Our new adventure started at the SPCA in SF, where we needed to get Buddy approved for volunteer service. The man who ran the program asked if he could take Buddy around the facility to see how he reacted to other people and dogs. I was a little worried because they were gone a really long time, but when they got back, he gave us a big thumbs up, saying “Buddy is perfect, he passed with flying colors, when can you start?”

Buddy Goes to Work

SPCA volunteer teams are assigned to various medical and residential facilities, and these can range from the most high-end to the most depressing kinds of places. Most people want to go to the nicer ones, but I told them I’d go to the places that nobody else wanted. We made two visits a week for 7 years, and Buddy was a natural. He could be a goofy dog sometimes, but as soon as we put on his scarf and badge, his demeanor completely changed. He became serious and respectful. He would go up to people who were just staring into space from their wheelchair and carefully nudge them or lick their hands. And even though they didn’t seem responsive to anything at first, I watched Buddy help some of them come back to the present for a few moments to reconnect with the world. 

A Memorable Encounter

At one point, we were asked to go to Davies Medical Center and meet with a young man in his early 20s who had severe brain damage from a serious motorcycle accident. He was basically catatonic, but they wheeled him into a courtyard so we could introduce him to Buddy. He had been there for 6 months and to that point had been completely unresponsive. When Buddy went up and nuzzled him, the guy’s hands moved and he started to cry. We were afraid we were making things worse because he seeme

d so upset but the nurse said, “No, you don’t understand, this is wonderful. It’s the first response we’ve had from him since he’s been here, and it could be the key to his recovery.” 

A Life Well Lived

Buddy lived for 14 years. He was intensely loyal, up for any adventure, and my constant companion. He was truly “my buddy” for the entire time we had together, and I still miss his warm and loving spirit.