When Robert Lucas’ son told him which dog he wanted at the shelter, the first concern he had was not whether his son could take care of the dog, but whether he could get his son the dog he wanted.
Named Gibbs, the black and tan terrier that captured the boy’s heart was not yet up for adoption when they met, and many other people had expressed interest in the dog as the adoption eligibility date approached.
Since the shelter accepts potential adopters on a first come, first served basis, Robert thought that the chances of adopting Gibbs were pretty slim.
So Robert decided to go the extra mile to ensure his son could adopt the dog he wanted. Instead of arriving at the Spotsylvania Animal Shelter the day Gibbs was put up for adoption, Robert went the day before. Then he spent the entire night in the shelter parking lot to make sure he was the first person in the door to request Gibbs.
Was it worth sacrificing a night’s sleep?
“I don’t regret one second of it,” Lucas said. “From the time my son wakes up to the time he goes to bed, he’s talking about the dog. He’s very excited to have him, and he’s his new best friend. They are inseparable.”
We thought he might say something like that.
