For many of us, it sounds like a dream come true. One day you wake up and find out that a random cute dog has chosen you to be her roommate. For Jack Jokinen and his wife, it was a random surprise that they definitely weren't expecting.
The couple recently had a baby, so they're used to sudden night disturbances. However, nobody could have prepared them for this. When Jack went downstairs to investigate, there was a strange lab-mix puppy staring right back at him. But how?
"The first thing I think is, 'There has to be someone in our house,'" Jack said to the Dodo. "So I do a security sweep, making sure there’s no one hiding in closets or anything like that."
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"And when I finish," he added, "I think, 'How did this happen? A magical puppy?'" He also checked to make sure all of his windows and doors were closed. The whole thing was puzzling.
Jack posted a photo of the puppy on Twitter with the same puzzled caption. "I just woke up to this puppy in my house and we have no idea how it got here," he said. The tweet got a lot of attention. Luckily, due to security cameras, Jack finally got his answer.
As it turns out, his door was actually wide open — which again, makes sense if you're a new parent who's lacking sleep. Those first few months can be downright dangerous. Yet the door was definitely closed when he woke up and found the puppy. How did that happen? It turns out a kind neighbor noticed the open door and closed it for him sometime after the puppy had made her entrance.
Jack made sure to thank his neighbor. It's unlikely he would have seen the tweet acknowledgement, but in a day where porch pirates are a real threat, it's heartwarming to see neighbors helping each other out. It's also good to know that magical puppies don't actually exist. It's a nice thought, but a little scary if a puppy mysteriously appeared but you could never figure out how the dog ended up in your home.
According to the Dodo, Jack already has a dog. And after he had taken that dog out for a walk, he accidentally didn't shut the door all the way. Since it was a windy night, the unlatched door flew open even more, inviting the new puppy in. So the family already had a bunch of dog supplies available for their new guest.
Now for the sad news. Whoever had the dog prior to Jack didn't take good care of her. She had no chip, had damaged teeth, and was quite malnourished. A pad was missing from one of her paws. That means it's possible she had run away. Or perhaps she was always a stray. It's good to know she finally got the vet attention she deserved.
She seemed a little scared, but they were able to get her vaccinated. Her teeth could have been in better shape, but at least that's something that can be worked on and improved. This poor pup was just waiting for the right person to give her some much-needed attention.
Jack made sure to post a full video on Twitter that explained the entire story up to that point. In the video, he said that they decided to keep the dog, who they then learned was about 9 years old, not a puppy. The fact that she was so malnourished made her look a little smaller.
"We're going to give her a dignified end of her life," he said. He chose to open up his Venmo in case anyone wanted to donate to the cause. Even with no donations, they'll take care of her regardless. "To end up with a sweet dog who just needs a good home.. wow. This could have gone a lot worse."
He also ended up giving a great tip when it came to fleas. The stray dog had a bunch of them. They gave her a flea bath, but she'd already spread fleas throughout their house. Jack put a spare flea collar in the vacuum canister, just to make sure they'd be gone for good. It's especially important to make sure the fleas were gone due to their newborn.
He named his new dog Suzyn Pupman, after Suzyn Waldman, a 73-year-old sportscaster. Supposedly, she's getting along quite well with their other dog, George. New dogs are a big change for everyone, so it's nice to know that there isn't any tension between the two pets.
Little Suzy has already gained quite the following online. She has her own Instagram and Facebook, which Jack said would contain a lot of updates. It's the type of attention that this sweet dog really needed for so long. It'll be incredible to see her transition into a happy and healthy dog.
That's the one thing that's scaring Jack. He knows that this story has gotten a lot of attention, and he just wants to do well by Suzy. He said they've put a lot of trust in their veterinarian. He also stated that with the way the world is today, it's hard to make it clear that he's not trying to scam people. All money donated will go to Suzy's care.
Hopefully, he knows he's really doing everything he can. He supported a dog in need, made sure she was up-to-date with her vaccinations, and gave her a warm place to sleep. Plus, now she has another dog to help keep her company. Walking into that house was the best move Suzy could have made.
Animal abuse is a serious issue. If Suzy had an owner before Jack, they should be ashamed of themselves. Not only is it heartbreaking to see her so malnourished, but not having any sort of tag or identification makes you realize that she was never officially part of a family. Suzy got a great Christmas gift this year — a family she can grow old with.
