Star Date 99897.11 - Vale Jack Hulands

Dear Diary.

Even Best Friends need to say goodbye eventually.

Lucas.

Man’s Best Friend. The Canine.

A Dog’s Best Friend. His Human.

I adopted Jack at 3 years old. He had been abused by his previous owner so bad he was one of the lucky ones who managed to escape before more damage could be done. Upon meeting him, he was scared, sad-eyed and most likely felt betrayed by anyone he had met in his short time alive. I didn’t use a leash on him to get him to my car, I simply told him “I am going this way, if you want a better life you’re more than welcome to follow”. I opened the passenger door then sat in the driver seat. A few minutes of him sitting staring at me, calculating his next move, he walked over and jumped in. 13 years of being bestfriends would follow, and both myself and my family made sure he would have the best life possible with us.

The name Jack came about in an old fashioned way, I did not know what his abuser called him, or if they even had a name for him, so on the drive home I simply started saying random names as he looked out the window, most likely seeing a lot of things for the first time since escaping. I came to Jack, he turned his head to me with those big, brown American Staffy eyes, so Jack it was.

We were together every day for the next 7 years. It’s incredible how a Dog once realising he is being treated well can change his emotions. Though the first few weeks were odd for him, obviously not used to being fed twice a day, bathed and patted. A shinning moment though was receiving his first collar. He must have known we had the intention of keeping him, and when he saw it he sat there while I slipped it around his tree-trunk sized neck and wore it with pride.

He was part of a real family now. He would love us as much as we would love him.

Jack got along with the family Dog, Rex, a Labrador x Rottweiler, extremely well. Rex was getting on in years and would get himself into trouble sometimes, and without hesitation Jack would jump in to protect him. He had a love of chicken with rice, and lamb leg bone left over from Xmas dinner (never buried, always eaten as soon as he got his jaws on it). He would take me for a walk, not the other way round. He also had a love for the camera; If people were gathering up for a photo, he would wander over and plant himself right in the front, sitting straight and tall, ready for his moment with his friends around him.

But if you were a tree, and you happen to lose a leaf or 2 and it fell in his yard. Oh boy. You are about to be barked at for the next 5 minutes. Never be a leaf and fall on Jack’s territory.

Winter would see him curled up on his bone-shaped rug in front of the fire, and summer would see him lazing in the green grass of the backyard or running through the waves on a visit to the beach.

Jack was friends with anyone he met. He never discriminated if you were human, dog or cat. If you gave him a pat, he would stand in front of any danger for you. If my sisters kitten curled up next to him on a cold winter’s night, he would put his paw over it to keep it warmer. But if you were a leaf, sorry, enemies forever.

2016 saw us part from each other for the first time since we met. I was moving to Melbourne and unfortunately into an apartment that would not allow pets. Though it was sad, it was for the best too. He had spent 7 years on a half-acre yard with trees, birds and leaves to bark at and lots of other Humans around. I promised him a good life when I adopted him and bringing him to Melbourne would have broken that promise.

I would only see him another 10 times.

I hope that as he drifted off to sleep, Jack was happy with the life me and my family gave him. That he knew he made the right choice jumping into my car that day so long ago. 10 years is what most vets will give Pure Bred Staffs. Jack got 16. I hope the 13 he chose to spend with us made him forget the first 3 and that wherever he has gone now, he can find a nice cosy spot by a fire, or run through the waves at a beach, and bark at the occasional leaf.

You were the best Jack. Thank you for choosing me and my family to be your Humans.

There will be a spot in my heart for you for the rest of my days.