Puppy love: Rescue dogs claim human hearts and build family connections

A well-loved dog from puppyhood, Dash died from cancer at the age of 7 in July 2022. This story of puppy love could have ended there, but it’s actually around when it starts for one Highland Lakes family.

“Dash was the first dog I loved,” Daniel Diemer said. 

The Burnet resident grew up on a farm where dogs were workers, not pets, while wife Holly came from a family that rescued animals—a lot of animals. Because Daniel loved Holly, he welcomed rescue dogs into his home, if not totally into his heart—at least at first. 

“Daniel, he never grew up with dogs or rescues or anything like that,” Holly said. “We come from very different backgrounds of rescue. He was a reluctant adopter because he loved me.”

Rescue dogs are a gift of love but also a gift of second chances for both canine and human, said Holly, who urges people to explore adopting from a local shelter. 

A record number of dogs and cats are looking for their second chances in the Highland Lakes area. Pet surrenders are through the roof, said Britt Stautmeister, executive director of Highland Lakes Canine Rescue near Marble Falls. The Hill Country Humane Society, based in Buchanan Dam, currently has almost twice as many animals as it does kennels. Other local shelters and rescue organizations are also overloaded.

“There are too many dogs being surrendered,” Stautmeister said. “We need more people to open their hearts and consider adopting.”

Everybody—humans and pets—benefits from this canine love connection. Daniel and Holly certainly have.

Dash was not the couple’s first dog. Because Holly loved dogs, Daniel agreed to adopt an adult rescue about 10 years ago.   

Soon after Tripp came into their lives, the couple was watching a Christmas movie (they don’t recall the name) with a puppy in the plot. Much to Molly’s surprise, Daniel thought he might like one.

Not missing a chance, Molly searched online  for puppies up for adoption. She found a possible candidate through an Austin-area rescue organization and set up a meet-and-greet.

“And so he picked out Dash,” Holly said. “That was the first dog he ever loved.”

“He was a special dog,” Daniel added. “He just had a way of winning your heart.”

Dash was a prankster. Daniel still loves to tell the stories, especially about Dash’s continual ruse to jump on the bed, a place he was not allowed. 

Employing a bit of misdirection, Dash would roust Daniel out of bed to let him outside for a bathroom break during the night. Instead of leading the way to the backdoor, Dash stepped aside to let Daniel go first.

“He knew if I let him go first and he turned around, then I would block him and try to catch him from jumping on the bed,” said Daniel as a smile crept across his face. “So he waited until I was ahead of him, and then he would turn around and jump on the bed. He did things like that where he was really special and loving. He just kind of won me over.”

Of course, that’s what dogs do, even with a rough case like Dash.

In the summer of 2022, a seemingly healthy Dash showed signs of illness. 

“It was a rapid cancer, just a few days,” Holly said. “That’s all we got.”

The loss still stings, said Daniel, and taking in another dog wasn’t something he wanted to think about right away. 

“(Daniel) said he never wanted another dog because of the pain,” Holly said. 

But Dash’s death also hurt Tripp. 

“He wasn’t doing well after Dash died,” Daniel said.

With Tripp struggling, the Diemers decided to look for a companion for the older dog soon after Dash’s passing. Rescuing another dog was not about replacing Dash (impossible!) but about helping Tripp and honoring their beloved pet.

“We called (Dash) sunshine and smiles because he loved everyone and life,” Holly said. “I felt like the best way to honor him was to go rescue another dog out of shelter life and love on them.”

Daniel agreed—three times.

In July 2022, just a few weeks after Dash’s death, Quincy landed his second chance with the Diemers. The addition to the family lifted Tripp’s spirits, but at first, Daniel and Holly kept their feelings for Quincy in check. It didn’t take long for love to do its work. In 2023, they adopted Hopper, and in September 2024, Flyer. The family of six is a heart-shaped circle of puppy love. 

The experience taught Holly that love isn’t just an emotion but also an action.

“Dogs teach us a lot. And one thing they’ve taught me is how to love through action when the feelings just aren’t there,” she said. Adopting Quincy for Tripp and then caring for Quincy opened a crack in their hearts big enough to let in another dog—and another—after their heartbreak with Dash.

“Yeah, they just kind of open you up to it,” Daniel said. “I think rescue dogs just know that you’re giving them a new chance, and they want it.”

While the Deimers could name a lot of good reasons to adopt a shelter dog, they agreed on the best, one they experienced themselves.

“They teach us how to love,” Holly said. “Even when you don’t think you can, rescues, they know how to just get into our hearts and teach us how to love.”

Why rescues are best of show

When choosing a rescue dog, start by choosing a shelter, said Britt Stautmeister, Highland Lakes Canine Rescue executive director. Look for shelters and rescue organizations that spend time socializing their dogs, such as HLCR and the Hill Country Humane Society. These two, which are the biggest shelters in the Highland Lakes, also provide up-to-date health care for their animals, including vaccinations, spaying and neutering, and after-adoption support to help with the transition.

Before making a final decision, make sure you’re matching the dog to your lifestyle and that it will get along with everyone else in your family, including other pets, Stautmeister said.

Also, bring the whole family, especially kids and even current pets, to meet a possible adoption dog at the shelter. 

“The last thing we want is for someone to get home with a dog and have a problem,” Stautmeister continued. 

Shelter staff, through their interactions with the dogs, will know how a specific dog might act around people and other animals. And if there is an issue at the shelter, the staff can recommend another dog.

HIGHLAND LAKES CANINE RESCUE

hlcr.org, 830-693-0569, info@hlcr.org

HILL COUNTRY HUMANE SOCIETY

9150 RR 1431 in Buchanan Dam, facebook.com/hillcountryhumanesociety, 512-793-5463

daniel@thepicayune.com