JoJo, Linneus, ME

Hi everybody! I’m JoJo.

I wish I could tell you my history, but it’s really not all that clear to me. Mom thinks I blocked it out, although it doesn’t seem to have been traumatic, just sad, because someone walked me into a Clarksville, TN, shelter one day when I was around two years old and left me there.

I was house-broken, pretty much obedient and a calm soul. Who would throw someone like me away? 🙁

I was in there for a while, I couldn’t count at the time, but the word was I was ‘out of time’ and they took me from the room where people came in and chose pups to go home with them. I thought, wait a minute, if you take me out of here, how are people going to see me and take me home?!

But away I went. Scary, scary. The room I went into lead to the Rainbow Bridge before I was naturally ready to cross it. Downright scary!

Meanwhile, all the way in Maine, “Monster” Emma the Sidekick — who was adopted the previous year — was lonely without another dog in the house, so her Mom went searching online and lo & behold(!) she found another brindle pup like Emma at the same shelter where I was!

No, she didn’t find me — I didn’t have that kind of luck. But this is where it gets interesting.

Emma’s Mom & Dad drove down from northern Maine, as they had for Emma (she also came from this shelter, but she had been pulled and fostered by the local humane society). They brought Emma with them to make sure she and the pup would work out.

It didn’t. The female pup and Emma had too much raging female hormones going on. Like a diva reality show. And Emma’s Mom felt real bad having to deny that pup a home.

Oh, did I mention, despite the situation I was in, this shelter is filled with guardian angels? Yes indeed. And mine’s name is Vanessa! Vanessa tried hard to find the ‘right fit’ for Emma, but no one was working out, then she came and got me! And zoinks! It was like Emma & I were littermates!

We hit it off right away and home to Maine I went, just days before I was scheduled to cross the Bridge without being loved by anyone but those guardian angels! Talk about “just in the nick of time”! 🙂

I can tell you, I know I am loved. Even though I’m a guy, I was named in honor of Mom’s beloved sister who crossed the Bridge herself twenty years ago to be with her own beloved pets. They also call me JoJo Ears, like I some kinda wiseguy hooligan pup! BOL! Yup, I have some kinda ears!

Since coming home to Maine, I have become a Therapy Dog with Silent Sidekicks, following in the pawsteps of my little big sister Emma! Together we’re making it plain and clear that bully breed dogs not only need love, they know how to give it!

The residents and staff at our local health care facility love us and enjoy our visits! As soon as we walk in the door, it’s like a scene from Cheers! Everybody knows my name! And they all reach out to love on me. Life cannot get any better than this.

Please follow this remarkable life journey with me through my Facebook page: JoJo the Sidekick.

Thanks for reading my story!
JoJo

Parent: Darlene