Page 30 of Easton Island: A Wedding to Remember

“We’ll make sure to donate on our way out.” Morgan met Quinn at the door and followed her into the hall. “This is going to be tough.”

Quinn blew air through thinned lips. “Way tougher than I imagined. Did you see how friendly and cuddly those kitties were?”

“Like the worker pointed out, at least they’re loved and well-cared for.” Morgan motioned to the door markedThe Puppy Pad.“Something tells me your decision is about to get a lot harder.”

As soon as they opened the door, a rambunctious black dog, roughly half the size of Chester, scampered across the room to greet them.

Thick fur covered his face, drooping down across his eyes. “The Puppy Pad greeter.” Quinn fluffed his ears. “Hey, buddy.”

A young woman, in her late teens if Morgan had to guess, made her way over. “That’s Ralph. Welcome to The Puppy Pad.”

“Thanks. We just left The Cat Corner where we met some adorable kitties,” Quinn explained. “I promised myself I would meet the dogs who are up for adoption before deciding.”

“It won’t be an easy decision. By the way, I’m Kayleigh. Are you both looking for fur family members?”

Morgan tapped her friend’s arm. “Only Quinn, at least for today. I already have a rescue dog, Chester, at home.”

“Feel free to look around.” Kayleigh told them there were a few more dogs in crates in the back. “The ones in the back do better being cared for one-on-one. Some were abandoned, which tends to bring out some behavioral issues.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Quinn’s brows furrowed. “What sort of behavioral issues, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Anxiety, eating disorders, chewing on stuff they shouldn’t.”

Morgan pressed her hand to her chest. “How awful.”

“Not all, by any means, but a few.” Kayleigh told them the special needs pets were showered with extra attention. “I wish I could take them all home. Unfortunately, they won’t fit in my cramped apartment.”

“Do you get many adoptions?”

“Almost every day. The Easton Islanders have big hearts. The dogs are rarely here for more than a few weeks, although the ones with issues have been here a lot longer.” While they chatted, Kayleigh led them around, sharing tidbits about their care and daily routine. It was clear the workers loved the animals. “During the holidays, we host an annual fundraiser, which is where we get most of our operating funds from.”

“Quinn and I plan to make a donation on our way out,” Morgan said. “In fact, I’ll add the shelter to my regular donation rotation.”

“Thank you. I’m a volunteer and so is Susie across the hall. There are only a couple of employees who are on the payroll. Most of the money we get goes right back into caring for the animals.” Kayleigh explained the shelter also had a few other animal breeds—rabbits, hamsters, reptiles, snakes and spiders—housed in another wing of the building.

“I’ll be sticking to a cat or dog,” Quinn said. “I’m not sure I have the skill set to adopt an exotic pet.”

“Me either, but we have plenty of people who like those types of pets as well.”

A couple appeared, and Kayleigh excused herself to go greet them.

“Look at these adorable doggos,” Morgan breathed. “You can see they’re happy and healthy.”

“Which makes me feel good about donating to the shelter.” Quinn plopped down on the mat. “Time to get this meet and greet underway.”

Morgan followed suit and was promptly surrounded by rambunctious pups, all vying for attention.

She cast Quinn a furtive glance, noticing she seemed to be drawn to an older dog and Ralph, the one who had been the first to greet them. “You know, you can always adopt two,” she pointed out.

“I could, but I’m thinking I should probably start out with just one.” Quinn played catch the ball with Ralph. “The good news is my backyard is fenced.”

“I’ve thought about fencing in the rest of mine but haven’t bothered seeing how Chester doesn’t try sneaking off.” Morgan greeted a Dachshund with chocolate colored eyes. “Are you going to meet the dogs in the back?”

“Yeah. I mean, in all fairness, I want to get to know all of them before deciding.”

Kayleigh returned a short time later. “Well? Have any of these sweethearts stolen your heart?”

“Maybe. I would like to meet the dogs in the back before deciding.” Quinn placed the pup who was on her lap aside and slowly stood.

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