I never thought I’d be the kind of person to cry in a pet aisle, but here we are.
Last winter was hard. I’d just moved to Hobart for work — a big change from my hometown, where I knew every café owner and could walk into any shop and bump into someone I grew up with. Suddenly, I was in a city where I didn’t know a single soul. Work was fine, but the evenings were the worst. The silence after dinner. The way the house felt too big. The fact that no one would notice if I just stayed in bed all weekend.
I kept telling myself I’d get used to it. That I’d make friends. That things would feel normal soon. But weeks passed, and all I felt was… empty.
One Saturday, I ended up at the local shelter — honestly just to “look.” I wasn’t even planning to adopt. But then I saw Luna. She was a scruffy little thing, part Spaniel, part mystery, with the saddest eyes I’d ever seen and a tail that wagged like she was trying her best anyway.
We sat together for 10 minutes in the visiting pen, and I already knew I wasn’t leaving without her.
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🐶 View Portrait Styles →Bringing Luna home was the best decision I’ve made in years.
It didn’t fix everything overnight. But she gave me a reason to get out of bed, to go outside, to talk to people. Taking her for walks around Battery Point, I slowly got to know neighbours. One older couple even invites us in for tea now and then. Luna sits at their feet like she owns the place.
She sleeps at the foot of my bed, follows me around the house, and somehow senses every mood I have. When I’m happy, she’s bouncing off the walls. When I’ve had a tough day, she just rests her head on my lap like, “I’ve got you.”
I still have lonely days. But I’m not alone anymore. There’s a huge difference.
I don’t know how to explain the way a dog fills the quiet. It’s not just noise or movement. It’s connection. It’s presence. It’s love that doesn’t ask for anything except a bit of your time and a spot on the couch.
If you’re feeling alone, I just want you to know — it can get better. Sometimes it comes with fur and floppy ears and a tail that knocks your coffee over. And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.