Max
It took me quite a while to come to the decision of putting Max up for adoption. But as soon as I did, I quickly sent out an email to friends and acquaintances with an attachment of his photos and a brief background of the pet I love so much. It did not take long before I got calls and emails from people who expressed interest to take him. It was the weirdest feeling - like an in-between of protectiveness and hesitation. A tiny part of me was hoping that no one would satisfy the requirements I have set in order to qualify to adopt Max (therefore I would have to keep him longer...) That was emotions ruling. The logical department still won over and that is it's for his best interest to go to a family where he will get the attention that he needs, where he will have a lot of people around him, where he will be able to go for runs and walks everyday, where his playfulness will not be taken for granted. It is the best thing I can do for him, as I have already abandoned the idea of bringing him with me to Australia, an idea I have toyed with and researched on a bit previously, as per my post more than a year ago.
Last Saturday afternoon, my friend and her boyfriend (whom I have chosen to adopt Max) came by to pick him up. I wonder then and I still do now if he sensed what was going on. He didn't whimper or cry, but I was with him in the car. He literally leapt out of the van when we got to his new home, and excitedly "surveyed" the new environment, weeing at two or three corners! Fast forward - I left and I still remember how his puppy eyes look. It breaks my heart but I am comforted with the knowledge that he'll be well taken care of and *hopefully* he's happy.
Max during one of our fetch & drop play sessions