The truth is, we don’t always know much about what’s going on with our neighbors. This can be especially true if they are older and have mobility issues that prevent them from spending much time outside. So when Dylan asked his elderly neighbor to pet sit, he never imagined the extent of the impact it would have.
But a few days after he returned home from his trip, he received a letter he will never forget.
When Dylan went on a two-week vacation, he asked his elderly neighbor Robert if he could watch his German Shepherds, Smokey and Jennifer, along with his cat named Oreo. Robert happily obliged, and Dylan felt confident that they were in capable hands. But what Dylan didn’t know was the significant impact that this favor would have on him.
A few days after he returned, he received a letter in the mail. It was from Robert, and it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever read. Robert’s words of gratitude made him simultaneously smile and cry.
In the letter, Robert revealed that he doesn’t spend as much time outside as he once did, because his joints just aren’t as “lively as they used to be.” He also shared that during the pandemic, his dad got diagnosed with and then died from stage four colon cancer. So after his death, Robert was left all alone in his home, wondering what he has done for this world.
But everything changed once he met Smokey, Oreo, and Jennifer.
“Your pets are the cutest, funniest, and most troublesome (In a good way, don’t worry, they didn’t mess up the house too much!) individuals. They gave me the motivation to restart my life again. I started waking up early in the mornings. I began to take walks outside with your pets for the first time in years. Every 10 minutes whenever I felt sad for a second, they would bark or rub against my leg and make me laugh,” read the letter.
But the best part for Robert was taking the dogs to the park. The trip had him spending more time outside than he had in a long time, and he was able to make some new friends! He shared that he was so happy to finally be able to talk with friends again, and to “feel like he’s part of the human race.”
Not only did pet sitting for Dylan bring so much joy to Robert, but as a result, two rescue pups found a loving forever home.
“I adopted two pet dogs shortly after. (You may have been hearing noise from my home, pardon them!) I now take regular walks to the park with them and talk with friends I made there. Anyways, I’d just like to say: thank you so much. You brought back meaning to my life. And that’s all that matters,” Robert said.
This just goes to show that we don’t often know what’s going on with our neighbors, or how much of a positive impact our beloved pets can have on those around us.
Featured Image: Pixabay
Toledo, United States.
