It is a story of profound puppy love that will have a happy ending, but Jewel Black and Brian Rundle came close to seeing their hopes fall apart.
The Sooke couple was in Aruba in January when they befriended what they believed to be a stray dog.
They called her Ruby and she pretty much became part of the family during their five weeks on the Caribbean island.
They struggled to say goodbye and, when they got back to Vancouver Island, decided they needed to do whatever it took to adopt Ruby.
The couple dipped into their savings, did some fundraising and Brian flew back to Aruba on Saturday with a vet appointment set up for Monday.
That’s when the story takes a surprising turn.
” The vet checked for a micro chip and right away when she scanned the dog it beeped, ” said Jewel.
“The vet was required by law to phone the owner immediately. The owner asked for Brian to drop her off at their address.”
It turns out the stray they called Ruby is in fact a 3-year old pet named Mary-Jane who was known to wander off for weeks at a time, one of many dogs they have who come and go as they please.
“I completely fell apart. I’m COMPLETELY inconsolable,” wrote Jewel.
“I asked Brian to call me right away on FaceTime. We both cried.”
But the couple refused to give up without fight so Brian begged the vet to call her owners back, and he agreed.
“Brian told her the entire story – about the dog following us home, us falling in love, our overnights in Aruba, how we have missed her since we got back,” said Jewel.
“He told her that this news was going to destroy me, and break the hearts of so many others – who have been cheering us on the entire process.”
The owner said she would talk to her husband and call back.
“15 minutes later, she called the vets office back and said that they would like to GIVE us their dog,” said Jewel.
“Brian couldn’t believe his ears. He put them on the phone with the vet, they told the vet their decision. She is OURS! 
<3 <3 <3″
Jewel says Brian will fly from Aruba to Miami on Wednesday, then from Miami to Vancouver via Dallas on Thursday where she will be there to meet them.
“It has been the most EMOTIONAL day. I completely fell apart and went from devastated to the happiest I have been, since we left her pretty face in Aruba.”
And she says the pooch won’t only have a new home, she will also have a new name, Ruby.
In all of this Jewel says she’s extremely overwhelmed by the amount of support they’ve received.
” And if there is one thing coming out of this that I hope everyone hears its not necessarily how wonderful that ruby is coming home its how wonderful it is to help a dog in need,” said Jewel.
Photos/Facebook
Ben O'Hara
