As soon as Temple Health Emergency Department nurse Amber Allmond, RN spotted Mac, it was love at first sight.
“When I saw him walk out with his sunglasses on, in his little pajamas, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I need to say hi to him,’” she remembers. “I went over, and he came right up to me. That’s when I said, ‘I need to FaceTime Kyle.’”
Kyle is Amber’s boyfriend—but rather than being jealous she had met someone else, he was cautiously optimistic. That’s because Mac is a Pitbull mix who was up for adoption through Philadelphia’s Street Tails Animal Rescue. He was hoping to find his forever home at one of TUH-Main Campus’ pet adoption events, hosted by the campus’ Office of Patient Experience and Temple Tails in partnership with local rescues.
“Kyle and I had been talking about getting a dog, but I wasn’t sure,” Amber says. “I kept going back and forth. But when I saw Mac, it was all over.” She met Mac’s foster parents at the event, and after discussing it with Kyle, they decided to put in an application.
“We got a call about a week later, and they told us, ‘You guys are approved. Do you want to come meet him?” Amber recalls. “Kyle and I went to Street Tails two days later, walked around the block with him, and brought him home that day.”
“They told us, ‘You have a week to figure it out,’” she laughs. “But once I took him home, I was like, ‘Well, I’m not giving him back. So yeah, he’s mine now.’”
“It’s So Worth It”
That was a little over a year ago—and since then, life with Mac has been a joy. “He’s so great,” Amber says, as Mac chews a bone at her feet. “His behavior’s awesome. He loves people—he’s great with my nieces and nephews—and when we take him to dog events at parks, he’s very chill. One time, there was this little Chihuahua licking his face, and he just sat there like, ‘Okay, this is what they’re doing.’”
“My favorite thing about him is his quirky and funny personality that came out after being with us for a little while,” she continues. “He’s constantly making us laugh—whether he’s playing, snoring, or being clumsy and rolling off his bed or tripping over his toys while he’s running.”
While Mac has experienced medical issues, including seizures and a thyroid problem, Amber has worked hard to get them resolved. “I say all the time that, if something happens, I’ll figure it out,” she insists. “It’s so worth it.”
“He’s Changed Our Lives in Such a Positive Way”
Unsurprisingly, Amber and her coworkers are big fans of our pet events—including Dog Days of Summer, Puppy Love, and Happy Holidogs. “We wish we could go multiple times a day,” she laughs. “It’s so nice to be there and de-stress. And the dogs are so welcoming. They just want to play and give kisses, and they love when we give them treats.”
She also has advice for anyone thinking about adopting one of the dogs they meet there. “If you’re even considering it, do it,” she says. “Even if you’re just interested in fostering, do it. You’ll come home and always have someone to greet you. Yesterday, we had movie night, and Mac just snuggled in between us. He’s changed our lives in such a positive way.”
Have you adopted or fostered a dog from one of our pet events, or volunteered with one of our partner rescue organizations? We want to hear from you! Email Grace Alvino or Heather Matthew to share your story.