I’m a firm believer that the pets in our lives are in our lives for a reason.

When I walked into the animal shelter five years ago and saw a 3-month-old shepherd mix I now call Lakota, I didn’t know what was in store for me. I just remember rounding the corner, seeing him immediately run to the back of his cage, which was covered in paper shavings, and stick his snout into the corner, terrified.

But holding his trembling body, seeing his huge paws and looking into those beautiful caramel eyes, I knew he was mine.

Read more here.

-- Cassandra Shofar, CShofar@News-Herald.com