When I bought my house, I decided I wanted a dog to enjoy the big backyard with me. I had heard of Akitas and found one at a local animal shelter. I drove down to meet the "six year old male brindle" on New Year's Eve 2006. Our eyes met only for a moment, but I knew I wanted to bring him home.

When I went to the front counter at the shelter to adopt him, the clerk couldn't find his paperwork. The manager suggested the clerk look "on the graveyard list." Naively, I asked what the graveyard list was. The clerk, in a hushed voice, said the Akita I wanted was scheduled to be euthanized if no one adopted him by that evening. It was ten minutes before the shelter's closing time. I closed my eyes, sighed, and knew it was meant to be. Ame is the great love of my life, and now has two pack siblings, also from local shelters.

Sarah Tamalunas
Los Angeles, CA