Brittany Kelley
When it comes to Christmas, there are so many traditions that are continued each year. Maybe it’s getting matching pajamas with your family, baking the same cake or doing an annual activity together. Although I have those, too, a tradition with myself that I have is to watch “Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws,” as it reminds me how lucky I am to have an animal to love.
I’m not sure when I started this, but I know I’ve been doing it for at least 10 years, laying right by the Christmas tree each time I press play.
Of course, it’s a branch of the Buddies film franchise, so the iconic golden retriever puppies have the majority of the storyline, but I think the thing that draws me back to it is Tiny, the dog.
In the movie, the first time we meet Tiny is when she’s eating a meal of trash in an alley way. Then, a dogcatcher traps and takes her to a shelter. Even if it sounds ridiculous to say, her storyline is one of sadness, yet hope.
In the midst of the chaos that Santa Paws and the Buddies are getting up to, Tiny shares a similar journey to that of “The Christmas Carol,” with a small, sick child wanting a puppy for Christmas. His father visits the dog pound and finds Tiny, who he believes is perfect, but when he can’t afford the price, the dogcatcher — Stan Cruge — refuses to budge.
Obviously reminiscent of Scrooge, Cruge truly kills the Christmas vibe. Worse than the Grinch, I’d argue, because at least he’s nice to his dog, Max. Cruge, instead, is cruel to these dogs, not to the point of directly abusing them, but neglecting to spend time with and show them love.
“Christmas spirit is about the unselfish spreading of love and kindness. There are plenty of lonely puppies without families or children to love them,” said Deputy Sniffer, an old bloodhound, in the movie.
This could not be truer, so when Cruge’s scenes show up, I almost always begin to cry. The feeling is only ever magnified when I remember how sweet, loyal and innocent dogs are.
I saw someone say recently that dogs are the example of how we should love and I completely agree. Throughout my time at the paper, I’ve spoken about my other pets, but I’ve yet to speak about Aubrey, who was my immediate thought when I read that statement.
Aubrey is my youngest baby boy at five years old, which you may be thinking, ‘That’s kind of old,’ and you’d be right, but you’d never believe that with the way he acts.
Full of energy and attitude, Aubrey is a loving, charismatic blue heeler mix. From the first moment we saw him, he was already causing chaos. We went to get him out at this middle of nowhere “rescue” in Seguin, where he bit a little girl. He absolutely had no care for the fact that it was her birthday and instead of a cuddle or a cake, a bite to her arm was her only gift.
Over the years, we’ve had lots of laughs. From him attempting — and failing — to jump over cords throughout the apartment to stealing Takis straight off of the table. Aubrey is truly a character. He won’t bark at someone knocking at the door, but he will vocally let you know that you’re late with his dinner. He paws at you for your attention, but is quick to get airplane ears if he thinks you’re making a fool of yourself.
Aubrey is also resilient. There is no punishment when it comes to him because three seconds later, he’s going to forget about it and continue running and jumping on you like nothing ever happened. It has made it difficult to train him (we’re still learning), but it’s inspiring.
I’m someone that is very hot or cold or zero or 100, as I like to say. I know it’s a negative trait, but, nevertheless, I’m still so quick to put someone on my bad side and hold a grudge; Aubrey is the complete opposite. I don’t think he knows how to be mad at someone or to look at us with anything but heart eyes.
He runs my patience thin and has ruined so many of my socks, but at the end of the day, I have no doubt within my mind that he loves me and will go to bat for me. I’m raising a stubborn, attitude giving, chip stealing, tug-of-war playing and — most importantly — people loving son and I’d have it no other way.
He is truly who I look towards when I need to learn to have grace and to see the good in people.
I hope that this holiday season, many others are able to experience this same love that Aubrey and my other pets give me. I hope that animals in shelters or on the streets or tied up in backyards are one day able to feel this, too.
“The hope for a Christmas miracle is all we have,” said Tiny, talking to another dog in the shelter, before beginning to sing:
“Every night I look up
And pray that someone sees
The sadness in these lonely eyes
And shares his love with me
As the night grows colder
We really need to find
A way to heal the lost we’ve lost
We really need a sign
We need to know
That there are Christmas miracles
This year.”
If you’re wondering how Tiny’s story ends. Cruge stops being a Scrooge after he receives a letter to Santa from the sick child. He rushes Tiny over to the house to deliver the puppy just in time for Christmas and the family and Cruge end up spending the holiday together.
I truly believe that because of the community we have here in Hays County, there will be several animals that receive that Christmas miracle. In the meantime, if providing a home isn’t possible for you, look at supporting the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter and its efforts as the only intake shelter in the county. There are so many animals there that won’t get a forever home for the holidays, but are still receiving love and care from the staff members that provide the best they can for them.
Happy holidays and Merry Christmas to those who celebrate and to the animals that are waiting on their Christmas miracle.
Kelley is news editor of the Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch. She can reached via email at [email protected].
