2020-03-20 - Is 'Too many puppies' a real problem?

In Gray Harbor people are not the only critters with problems. Birds keep crashing into windows, deer get stuck on roofs like goats, and dogs do not get to eat Joey's meatball sub which means? Yeah, pet store run. Gray Harbor is not a big down it's a 'charming historic village' which is Addington speak for 'small as hell, but not so dinky you have to travel a mile to get basic needs like a CVS or pet food. Or a decent meatball sub apparently.

Local boxer and notorious trouble, Joey Kelly, is there though, with the cart and Nicole and little 3-legged adorable mutt, Ripley. missing a leg hasn't slowed the puppy down so much as speed her up because fewer feet need to hit the ground to move forward and she is a fan, it seems, of trying to go in both directions at once: thisway and thataway. The good news is she's still on leash so all curious hell's not broken loose.

Nicole walks along, pushing the cart while Joey mans the leash for the time being. She's dressed more for spring again, lighter colors, lighter fabrics, fewer layers. "So we need a big bag of food, and canned food? Anything else? Might as well get it all while we're out." Ripley tugs on the leash Joey holds, zig-zagging all over, tail wagging, SO many smells! So many animals!

Adam was getting off of work and looking forward to a day off. The one thing he did need to take care of was Jewellia's desire for a cat. That's what brings him into the shop this day, black bomber coat partial zipped covering his blue jeans, grey tee shirt combo. With the place packed as it was, he tries to hide his smile while looked for a cat to adopt.

Joey considers the question and says, "I dunno. Since we're here probably one of those big square things for Harv for the front room. I mean Jesse'll probably claim it, but they can share." The dog is pulling and curious about all the things. When Adam walks in the three-legged pup pulls towards Nicole instead and he hands her the leash untangling himself. He looks over to Adam and back to the critter, "It's cool." Looking around he considers, "Should probably get them something to snack on that's not ma's coffee table. Don't need her spookin up the damn place about it." He does, out of habit, keep tabs on Adam curious, trying to get a passive read on the guy.

Chuckling, Nicole asks, "a big square bed? Yeah, he'd like that. " She takes the leash and scoops Ripley up, giving her some cuddles and sense of calm. It seems to help, for now, as Ripley cuddles into her arms and hides her face. "So like, some chew toys? Good strong ones. Treats too?" Nicole spots Adam as well, since that is the direction Ripley was getting away from. The dog is doing very well in her new forever home, but her past leaves her a bit skittish around strangers. "Oh, we need some balls for playing outside now that it is spring too!" Looking ahead, she spots some cages set up and bites her lip. A meow comes from one of them and Nicole glances at Joey. Maybe cats are safe... Maybe.

Adam noted the pup and then the couple with a polite nod. His attention returned to the cats or kittens as most were and with a laugh he looked at the glass as a black kitten came to inspect him. The meow she let out alerted the rest that a softie was in the area and soon He found himself dealing with a small litter of fuzzies that followed his movement. "You want to herd cats, use treats." He shook his head. "As much as I want to, I can not take you all home with me."

Joey untangles himself from the doggo and lets Nicole wrangle her and take her outside murmuring, "Yeah I'll wait for you here." Can't take the stuff for a walk. Though, when he looks back to Adam giving a nod in return the surly boxer also notices the contents of the cubes behind.

He pauses and walks a few steps over and while he doesn't smile there's an exhalation of breath with a murmured, "Aw hell..." hard to tell if that's at the cop or the collective menagerie. Beagle. Puppy. He might be doomed. He sighs and apologizes to it, "Sorry pal, I know it sucks livin in a box, but I got one prison pup this quarter. You're cute. You got a chance on the outside."

Adam nodded while listening to Joey. "Everyone should get a second chance. Some of these guys did not get a first chance. No matter what we do there is never a shortage of lovable companions that need a family. Just a shortage on those who can help." He shook his head. Looking at the litter he knelt down to get a better look at the active ones. "I am soo glad my sister is not here. I would need to explain her lease over and over. Soon guys, give us a couple months and we will get a house just to avoid all the pet rent." He chuckles lightly.

"Adam!" Speak of the devil and she shall appear, or in this case for poor Adam it was his sister. "I heard they were doing an adoption day here and I thought I would come to... KITTIES!" she squeed and moved past her brother not even pausing for a hug before she was kneeling down before the glass window making awww! and cooing sounds at the glass, and the litter behind it.

Nicole’s summer blonde head can be outside the store front walking back and forth while Ripken smells the smells. Little does she know the danger Joey is in inside.

Joey arches an eyebrow and then narrows a look to Adam with a hard green glare. "You the dog evangelist now?" Yes, yes he's an asshole. He is also, however, very conflicted on this. The thug blinks at the dogs and slightly more conversationally murmurs, "Yeah, had two rescues in the last four months..." Yup. That puppy is giving Joey the eye. He looks up murmuring, "She's gonna kill me." Which is short lived when Jewellia exclaims loudly from a cloud of tiny hearts her love upon some kittens. He leans back, but doesn't budge otherwise. Maybe if he extends the porch... and gives up his room...hmmm

"No I am a fan of freedom..." was as far as Adam could get before the ball of energy known as Jewellia hit the store. "Listen very carefully Jewels, two, no more than two. Not two for you, two for me... two. No you can not leave two in Suri's place. A totally of two." He sighs with a smile as he shakes his head. Doomed....

"I am sorry I didn't mean to be rude." She stood up and hugged her brother, giving the man standing near Adam a bright friendly smile. When Adam started laying down the rules for her she sighed "But..."She fell silent watching him and then sighed again "what about two Kitten and a puppy?"

Joey is watching the little beagle not interrupting Adam laying down the law. The ultimatium brings awry grin from the boxer that fades as fast. At her idea he points to the puppy giving him the eyes. "Doesn't this little guy deserve a ghost chance?" There's Adam's words come top haunt him immediately. He reasons, "This is a damn fine little doggo."

"It says two total." Adam was trying he really was but now it was two against one not including the animals. He gave a sigh. "Ok listen, you can get the twin cats and the puppy. I will handle the paperwork. Do not post pictures of the cats together on Facebook or Instagram. I mean it Jewels." Sure he did, just like he meant two.

Jewellia looked over at Joey and gave him a friendly smile. "hi." She looked at the puppy that was still giving him sad eyes. "OH my gosh he is so CUTE!, but you seemed to be looking at him. I don't want to take him if you already had your heart set on him that would just be mean."She looked at Adam and gave another happy-sounding squee, going over to give him a big hug. "The twin black kitties right?" She held up her hands "I will not post pictures of the twins together."She meant it, right this second but that would probably change the second they did something adorable.

Adam looked like he was going to say more but hugged Jewellia back. As he let's go his phone goes off. "Work call, need to take this. Jewels you have my card." He laughs then hurries to a corner to take the call.

Nicole walks back into the store with three-legged Ripley on the leash. It isn't until she gets closer to the others that Ripley starts to shy back. "Shhh. Shhh..." she says, picking up the pup and placing her in the child seat of her and Joey's cart. Looking inside of it, then to Joey, then to the animals up for adoption, she spots the beagle. "Oh... so that's why the cart is still empty." She snickers then shakes her head. Joey.... you're going to have to apply for a shelter license soon if you keep it up. Step away from the adorable puppy." She waves to Adam and Jewellia with a friendly, "hello."

Jewellia smiles and waves at Nicole looking at the adorable puppy she set in the child seat of the cart. "Aww, so cute is the little guy a rescue too? I came here just to look at the Kittens but then your friend" she paused and pointed ay Joey" told me to look at the puppy. He is adorable, but if you guys are already planning on adopting him it would be mean of me to take him."

Looking down at Ripley, Nicole nods and starts to scritch the dog behind her ears. "Yeah, she was rescued. She had a rough start in life, but we're doing the best we can for her now." Looking at Joey she smiles. "Oh, you were hoping she," she says, gesturing to Jewellia, "would adopt this beagle here?" Looking back to the other woman she says, "I'm Nicole." She reaches her hand out to shake Jewellia's..

Jewellia reached out taking Nicole's hand and giving it a gentle shake. "I am Jewellia, it is nice to meet you. It does look like the pup had a rough start, you are amazing for adopting her, most people wouldn't. " She smiled bright and cheerful. "My brother." She motioned over at Adam." And i have decided to adopt the pair of black kittens, but were trying to decide if we wanted a puppy."

Joey is called out by Nicole. He sighs a heavy sigh and hid head hangs for a moment. Turning around heee looks to the tall blonde with him, and then to the small 3-legged puppy. He sighs picking her up. Ripley nudges her cold nose into his beard. "Yeah, yeaaaaaah I know. I know. " looking to Jewella he shakes his head, "Dog advocate. Still settling in two... rescues. " crime bystanders technically. Whoop is counting?

A woman moves into the pet store the clear signs shes been crying, and what better to combat crying? Puppies! she moves into the place to see what they have.

Jewellia knelt down so that she could get a better look at the puppy they were talking about, and at last, it turned it sad-eyed gaze away from Joey to focus on her. "awww he is so cute!" She looked back up at Joey and Nicole. "You are already settling two rescues? That is pretty awesome of you. I have only lived here a few months, and my brother just moved here from Seattle. I decided that pets were what we needed now. "She smiled.

When the woman came in Jewellia looked up, and started to give her a friendly wave, only to pause when she noticed that the woman had been crying as she came closer to where she was crouched near where the puppies were looking at a small beagle puppy. "I am sorry to stick my nose in where it might not be wanted, but are you okay?

Nicole waves again over to Adam when Jewellia talks about him, but then she's looking up at Joey as he steals Ripley from the cart. "How can you not love a dog like that?" Turning back to Jewellia, she nods. "two. Yep. This one, and a super huge lazy one. That beagle is adorable though. Surely needs a warm, loving home." She watches her with the puppy a moment, leaning in towards Joey to get some Ripley love. She sees Bean, and looks concerned, but lets the other woman ask after her for now.

Looking over to Jewellia, she shakes her head a bit, "bad break up... Classic reason to puppy shop, is this your store?" she asks blinking her eyes though nothing can hide red eyes.

"Npo it isn't my store I just came in to look at the kittens, and then Nicole here and her friend started showing me this little beagle puppy." she motioned at the puppy she had been paying attention too. She made a face ."I am sorry to hear about the breakup, do you need someone to go finds him and kicks him in the shins for you?" she seemed completely serious.

A nod of her head "Yes" says the woman "more then yes.. but hes a big biker man... so.." she looks Jewellia over, "scary?" Bean moves over and she plays with a small pup who licks her fingers and it takes a breath but a smile comes to her face... "gotta love pups, I am a vet-tech"

"Yep... get the puppy. Puppy is adorable and clearly likes you." Nicole nods then starts tugging on Joey's sleeve. "We should start getting the things we came here for... and get you away from the adoption table..."

"My brother is a cop. I will go kick the guys' shins for you and before he can do anything I will tell him that and see if he still wants to do something dumb, like hitting the little sister of someone with a license to carry a gun." She watched as the woman smile as she played with the puppy. "That is awesome. I am a photographer myself." She held out her hand "Jewellia." She looked up and waves at Nicole " it was nice meeting you"

Lowering her voice she leans into speak to Jewellia "Everett Woods, owner of Sweet Retreat, I bet if your brother looks he is probbally some kind of criminal as well as a cheater." she sighs and she looks over to Nicole before she looks back to the spotted Dalmation in her arms. "I do think I will" She says before adding "I am Lillian" she adds barely above a whisper

Joey says dryly, "That's armed assault. that's a 3-5 minimum... so you know." but so be it. He looks back to Adam for a long moment and gives him a solemn nod taking absolutely 0 part or interest in what is relationship issues. He is so not the go to guy for squishy emotional shit. Looking to Adam he gives him a small nod and seems to meet middle ground on giving the dog a home. Turning to follow Nicole he murmurs, "Behind you." It's about this time the dog he's carrying headbutts his orbital socket. "Yeah, hi." Well at least pup is happy.

She looked up at Joey ad blinked. "Huh? kicking someone the shin is armed assault? it isn't like i am even wearing steel-toed boots." But maybe he meant her using her brother as a shield against large biker types she was considering kicking the shin of. She waves to Joey as well, and then looked back at the woman. "Hi, Lillian." She looked at the puppy Lillian was holding and smiled. "Maybe puppy therapy is better."

a little smile eatches on the womans lips, she didnt really think it was a serious offer more one just to bond over. "Puppy thearpy is much better" she nods "I think I shall call you cinderella" she giggles

"Cinderella, that is an awesome name for the puppy." She smiled reaching out to pet the puppy herself. " I am going to be adopting the twin black kittens over there before I leave today, and maybe the beagle puppy. I haven't decided on the puppy for sure yet. "