Over the years, Annie and Mark cared for numerous animals, from cats and dogs to farm animals. For the first time in a long time, they found themselves in 2020 without a pup to keep them company. Mark thought it might be time to step away from pet parenting, but Annie had other ideas.
“I never stopped wanting a dog,” Annie says. “[Mark] was like, 'No, no, no. We're not going to get [another] dog. We're done with that. We want to travel. We're too old.' And I'm like, 'No.' I’ve always wanted a dog.’”
Of course, Annie didn’t just want to have a dog again—her dream was to add two dogs to the family.
She continues, “I wanted a big dog and then maybe a small dog. But, of course, we have a big dog and then a bigger dog.”
Annie and Mark took the plunge into pup parenting again when they adopted Ginny (surprisingly enough, it was Mark who took initiative on adopting her). From the beginning, she was a perfect match for the family.
Annie says, “Ginny, she is very, very laid-back. Although, we didn't realize how laid-back she was until we got Grayson. We thought she was a crazy girl. We didn’t realize she was laid-back.”
Ginny was getting settled in, but Mark and Annie thought something was still missing. Their new pooch needed a companion. Luckily, Annie’s sister-in-law reached out to the couple about a handsome little silver Lab puppy who needed a fur-ever home.
Grayson Haze—Grayson for short—added a certain spark to the household dynamic, thanks to his crazy puppy energy and love of swimming. Ginny, for her part, was happy to try and keep up—especially when it came to snatching a treat.
“They’re both wonderful dogs,” Mark says. “They sleep together. And [they’re] constantly around each other.”
“They love each other,” Annie adds.
From the word go, Grayson and Ginny were close companions, despite running at very different speeds. However, that dynamic was put to the test when Grayson took a terrifying plunge off a 36-foot-high bridge.
The day started like any other for Mark and Grayson with a walk along a popular walking route in the neighborhood. They strolled up the road, then started crossing a bridge over a concrete flood control channel. That’s when things took a turn for the unexpected.
Mark remembers, “We walked to the middle of the bridge … and [Grayson] jumped on the side, just looked and jumped off.”
“We have no idea why,” Annie adds.
Fearing the worst, Mark scrambled back across the bridge and down the embankment. When he found Grayson, he was grievously injured from the tumble. Mark called Annie, who rushed to the bridge to bring him to the emergency vet. With the help of nearby workers, they quickly loaded Grayson into the car.
Fortunately, the couple lives right by an esteemed veterinary school.
“Within 10 minutes, we were at [Texas A&M veterinary school],” Mark says.
Upon arrival, Grayson was given immediate care and stabilized. Against all odds, the veterinarian on duty determined that he wouldn’t require surgery to heal from his fearsome fall.
“We were so fortunate,” Annie adds.
While Grayson’s injuries didn’t require surgery, he needed a lot of bed rest to heal. Of course, that wasn’t an easy prospect for an energetic pup like him. He would need round-the-clock supervision to ensure he was calm and comfortable during recovery.
Armed with a stack of puzzles, Annie dropped everything and stayed with Grayson 24/7 for more than six weeks while he got better. It wasn’t an easy transition for the big, energetic puppy, nor was the separation easy for Ginny either.
Annie says, “[We] had the dogs separated. Mark had Ginny in the office, and he stayed in there with her because we didn’t want her to feel like she's a bad dog. Then I stayed in the master bedroom.”
After more than two months of rest, Grayson emerged healed and healthy—and very ready to play with Ginny again.
Mark and Annie signed both Grayson and Ginny up with Nationwide to help save on the costs associated with situating their new pups. When they saw how easy submitting a claim was, they decided to keep their pets protected. Their pet insurance coverage came in handy to cover the cost of Grayson’s accident.
Annie says, “When you get a dog, you go to the vet. You make sure that they have their shots, and you have your heartworm and your flea and tick medications so that you keep them healthy. Because they're not going to have a long life if you don't take care of them. You know?”
She continues, “Had we not had the pet insurance when this accident happened, it would have been thousands of dollars.”
Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new petTake advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new petTake advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new petTake advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new petTake advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new petTake advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new petTake advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new petTake advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new pet