Gary from Louisville, KY writes about Jake (content edited for length):

"When Jake turned ten, he was a 50-pound, longhaired Chow-Husky mix (we called him a "chusky") with a beautiful thick coat and turned up tail. He was regal looking with soulful eyes. However, without miracles in his life, Jake would have never reached ten.

Jake was stray, and like most strays, no one knew exactly when he was born, where he came from, or how he ended up running the streets alone. But it was late July 2012, when the residents of Auburn, Alabama first spotted him wandering their neighborhood. It was obvious he was starving and suffering from mange - and that he needed to be rescued - but numerous attempts at catching him were unsuccessful. Then came Jake’s first miracle: He was hit by a car while trying to cross the road, breaking both of his hind legs and leaving him with multiple scratches and lacerations. He was taken to the animal hospital at the University of Auburn Veterinary College. 

In many other cities without a veterinary school, Jake would have been euthanized immediately due to the extent of his injuries, but to his luck, he was taken to one of the premier small animal hospitals in the south. He received a level of care that most dogs could never receive due to the cost. After determining that he was about 4 months old, they proceeded to operate on him. His outcome was hazy: while they knew he would recover; they were unsure of the extent of the damages and knew it would be a month or longer before he could leave the hospital - if he was ever adopted.

Jake’s next miracle was my daughter, Olivia. She was starting her first year of veterinarian school in August 2012. Olivia had grown up with a house full of cats and dogs, but her mom and I begged her to wait at least a semester before rescuing a dog or cat of her own. Ignoring our pleas, in late September, she informed us that she was adopting a dog and naming him Jake. We were less than thrilled - especially me. I felt that with the challenge of veterinary school, this was a responsibility she should not take on.

It took months, but Jake did eventually heal and would only limp when he ran at full gallop. Despite this lingering injury, he still loved to go on walks. When he visited our house during holidays and in the summer, he would often sit in front of me, staring, as if to say, “Dad, I want to go for a walk!” Rain, snow, cold, or excessive heat, he did not care…he wanted to walk. Once Olivia graduated, she moved back home, and Jake became a full-time resident. We loved every minute of it.

Jake had a heart of gold. He was one of the most loving and well-behaved dogs we have ever known. He loved people and all other dogs and cats. In fact, he was dumfounded when a dog growled or was aggressive towards him. With a chow head, a purple tongue and big teeth, Jake could put fear into anyone with merely a growl. However, this "gentle giant" only showed this behavior when he thought we were in danger. He loved his life and us.

On December 29th, 2022, we had to put Jake down due to an aggressive form of cancer. We did not want to see him suffer and knew what we had to do. He and I took one last short walk (he wanted to walk longer, even though he was in obvious pain) before we went on that last car ride. We were crushed as Jake was a major part of our family and because it had happened so fast. Our shock and pain was, and still is, indescribable. 

I will admit we were also angry - especially me. After not wanting my daughter to take him all those years ago, he and I had developed a special bond, which included our “Jake walks" - just him and me, nobody else, not even my two other dogs.

However, I finally realized that Jake’s greatest miracle was the love he gave us and that he was a part of our family in the first place. We were blessed by his presence for ten years. For that we are grateful. ❤"