Needed: One "Happily Ever After" Ending

Once upon a time, in a community far away, there lived a King. Not just any ordinary King, but a very special King. You see, this King didn’t have a palace, or servants, or banquet tables laden with food. This King didn’t even have a warm bed or a place to call home.

And yet, King persevered. He led his royal entourage of three around the community, keeping them together, seeking out scraps wherever scraps could be found, finding shelter from cold and wet and wind.

One day, King was injured. No one is quite sure how, but then no one was looking out for him, and no one took him to a vet, and no one but his entourage kept him company while his broken femur slowly and painfully knit itself back together.

But his injury made feeding his entourage difficult, and they all became thinner and thinner and thinner, until they were scarcely more than racks of bone.

Now it so happened that a couple from another far away place was visiting the King’s territory, enjoying a vacation in King’s beautiful land. They saw King and his entourage, and were deeply troubled.

Unlike many who would have passed by the starving foursome, this couple could not. They talked, and they looked, and they thought, and they phoned, and they tried to find a safe haven for King and his followers. But every place they called said “Sorry, no room.” “Sorry, we’re full.” “Sorry, we can’t help you.”

Perhaps this couple remembered another time in another place where a couple had repeatedly heard “Sorry, no room.” “Sorry, we’re full.” “Sorry, there’s no room in the inn.” Perhaps they remembered it was a King who needed that room. Or perhaps they were just very loving, very caring people with huge hearts brimming full with compassion.

For like the story of the couple who could find no room at the inn, this couple was willing to take whatever they could find, no matter how far afield they had to look. And soon enough, they heard of a place named Turtle Gardens. And when they called and asked “Do you have room?” Turtle Gardens said “We are full, but bring them here and we will make room. It may not be fancy and it may not be spacious, but they will be warm and they will have food and they will be loved.”

And so the couple loaded King and his entourage into their van, and the couple bought them food and collars and leashes, and they drove seven hours out of their way to deliver the starving, limping, world-weary foursome to Yvette and Dave at Turtle Gardens.

It wasn’t long before King and his friends regained their strength. King’s leg mended and his belly filled out and his tail began to wag once more. And soon his entourage found homes and moved on. Two joined some humans who work deep in the forest, and one became a companion for four young boys. And although people looked at King's picture and read his story, they passed him by. "Too old" said some. "Too plain" said others. "Too big" said the rest.

Today, seven months later, King watches as others come and go through Turtle Gardens. More than anything in the world, King wants his very own just-for-him, I’m-your-best-buddy kind of human. A one-person dog for a one-dog person. King dreams of an easy life with a caring person who will take him on walks, who will welcome him on the bed and the couch, who will have a gentle hand and a warm heart. For that person, he will be a best friend, a devoted follower, a loyal companion for a lifetime.

And so, my readers, it is up to you to finish this tale. Like all good tales, it needs a happily-ever-after ending. Please share King’s tale with others; somewhere out there is someone who can add those oh-so-very-important final lines to this story: “And they lived happily ever after.”

King, upon his arrival at Turtle Gardens

King, today

All photos used with permision of Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue

King is a 8-10 year old lab cross, possibly part Chesapeake. He had a broken femur but it has healed completely. He would be best in a one-dog home with one special person who will be there for him. If you or someone you know is interested in adopting King, please contact Yvette at Turtle Gardens. Help turn this fairy tale into a reality.