The Story of Romeo

Several months ago now, I reconnected with a former student from my first teaching position at a private school in Costa Rica.  Federico used the opportunity to thank me for my role model as a gay man to himself and a handful of other boys at the school who were coming to terms with their own homosexuality.  This both surprised and humbled me as I was decidedly in the closet at that time, probably no less struggling with the implications of my true self in a world that was still far different than the one we live in today.  (Sometimes it's hard to believe how far we've come since 1984.)

As we got to know one another again via FB (I live in DC and he in Berkeley, CA), it came up that among his pursuits was the founding of an organization called Rescate Animal.  They rescue street dogs in San José and find them adoptive homes in the US.  What you say?  Don't we have animals here?  Sure, but try to rescue one without an FBI background check.

And that's when he showed this image of a street dog that his folks had just rescued.  It seems he showed up in the neighborhood and would not leave the gate where a neighbor's female dog resided.  Ah, love.  Little did he know just how far his affects would take him!  At the time I said, "Well, then, he's a real Romeo."

The next picture arrives with an up-date on "Romeo"-- that's how they get you, dear friends!  This time with a couple of his nephews and I began the process of participating in this international adoption.



Romeo was transferred to a Rescate Animal facility where he could receive all the necessary medical care: He was neutered, fully vaccinated, and micro chipped.  The paper work was filed and approved and a date was set for last Friday, April 26th.

Petsafe formerly a program at Continental Airlines, now assumed by United Airlines would be the vector of his immigration.

Taken to the airport in Costa Rica in the early morning, his flight departed at 11:19 AM CST and arrived in Houston at 3:49 PM CST where his international paperwork was processed.   Also where he was not placed on his connecting flight.  So he did not arrive at 8:00 PM like planned.  In fact, he did not arrive until sometime around 2:30 AM and I did not get a phone call from the airport that he was ready to be picked up until 4:30 AM.  I arrived at 7:40 to claim him.  He was clearly anxious, but soon settled down with me.  He road in the cab of my truck for the hour drive home and I kept my hand on him the entire way, speaking in a soft, calm voice to him.

Once home there was a first meal.

Then time to explore the yard.

Later a walk in the neighborhood, a first, healthy BM, more time just discovering the yard and the house.

Then finally, all tuckered out.  Romeo falls asleep in the hall outside of my office.

He is truly the sweetest dog I think I've met.  He takes to strangers and other dogs without any concern.
He doesn't hoard his food and he's house broken.  These past two days I've just left the door to the backyard wide open, and he comes and goes as he pleases, but mostly he stays inside nearby me.

This has truly been the most amazing experience.