Wild Cat (12 page)

I can’t believe he said that, about God’s hand.

The judge turns to Dakota.

“I’m not a Coolidge,” she says, “so I don’t get to vote or whatever you do here. But if I did, it would be a big thumbs-up for Kat. She taught me about family. And God. Kat’s the reason I didn’t run away from here. That kid deserves the best. And these guys are.”

“What about me?” Wes snaps. “I’ve known Kat longer than Dakota.”

“I’d love to hear from you, young man,” the judge says.

“Okay. When I came to the Rescue, I was mad at everybody. Everything made me angry. Except Kat. I don’t even know why. But it says something about her.”

“Thank you for being so forthright, everyone. This isn’t an official vote, of course. But I would like to ask you once more if you’re sure you want to accept Katharine into your family, to give her the Coolidge name?”

“Yes!” They all shout it at the same time.

I can’t take it any longer. I push through the door and into the arms of my family. “Me too!” I cry.

Hank joins the group hug. I think we’re all crying. I look around at these people—my family. We’re all holding hands: Mom, Dad, sisters, brothers . . . and God.

“Meow!”

I’d forgotten all about Princess, still stuffed inside my jacket.

“Is there a cat in my courtroom?” The judge stands up from his desk.

Princess meows again.

“Princess, you meowed!” I cry. I can hardly believe it. “You spoke!”

“It spoke?” the judge asks. “Now that’s a first. And in
my
courtroom. I guess you better tell me what it said.”

They’re all staring at me, waiting for an answer. Then I get one. “I couldn’t make out all of it, but it was something about
claw
and order.”

Dad explodes in a bellow of a laugh that shakes the room. When he can speak, he beams at me. “Spoken like a true Coolidge.”

Tips on Finding the Perfect Pet

• Talk with your whole family about owning a pet. Pets require a commitment from every member of the family. Your pet should be around for years—ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, or thirty years, depending on the type of pet. Pets can be expensive, especially if they get sick or need medical care of any kind. Make sure you can afford to give your pet a good life for a long time.

• Think like your future pet. Would you be happy with the lifestyle in your house? Would you spend most of your time alone? Is there room for you in the house? If you’re considering buying a horse, what kind of life will the horse have? Will someone be able to spend enough time caring for it?

• Study breeds and characteristics of the animal you’re considering. Be prepared to spend time with your pet, bonding and training, caring and loving.

• Remember that there is no such thing as a perfect pet, just as there’s no such thing as a perfect owner. Both you and your pet will need to work to develop the best possible relationship you can have and to become lifelong best friends.

Consider Pet Adoption

• Check out animal rescue organizations, such as the humane society (www.hsus.org), local shelters, SPCA (www.spca.com), 1-800-Save-A-Pet.com (PO Box 7, Redondo Beach, CA 90277), Pets911.com (great horse adoption tips), and Petfinder.com. Adopting a pet from a shelter will save that pet’s life and make room for another animal, who might also find a good home.

• Take your time. Visit the shelters and talk with the animal care handlers. Legitimate shelters will be able to provide you with documentation on the animal’s health and medical records. Find out all you can. Ask questions. Who owned the pet before? How many owners were there? Why was the pet given away? Is the pet housebroken? Does it like children?

• Consider adopting an adult pet. People tend to favor “babies,” but adopting a fully grown animal may be less risky. What you see is what you get. The personality, size, and manners are there for you to consider.

Rescuing Animals

• It’s great that you want to help every animal you meet. I wish everyone felt the same. But remember that safety has to come first. A frightened, abused animal can strike out at any time. If you find an animal that’s in trouble, call your local animal shelter. Then try to find the owner.

• The best way to help a lost pet find its home again is to ask around. You might put a “Found Pet” ad in the paper or make flyers with the animal’s picture on it. But be sure to report the find to your local shelter because that’s where most owners will go for help in finding a lost pet.

• Report animal cruelty to your local animal shelter or to the humane society.

Dandi Daley Mackall grew up riding horses, taking her first solo bareback ride when she was three. Her best friends were Sugar, a Pinto; Misty, probably a Morgan; and Towaco, an Appaloosa. Dandi and her husband, Joe; daughters, Jen and Katy; and son, Dan, (when forced) enjoy riding Cheyenne, their Paint. Dandi has written books for all ages, including Little Blessings books,
Degrees of Guilt: Kyra’s Story
,
Degrees of Betrayal: Sierra’s Story
,
Love Rules
,
Maggie’s Story
, and the best-selling series Winnie the Horse Gentler. Her books (about 450 titles) have sold more than 4 million copies. She writes and rides from rural Ohio.

Visit Dandi’s Web site at

www.dandibooks.com