For many humans, dogs are a necessity. These animals have plenty of love and affection to give, and the joy they bring into their family’s lives is priceless.
The same is true for a group of friends who moved to Bristol, England, in 2019. When Jack McCrossan and his three pals, Iwan, Chris, and James, moved to their apartment in the city, they were quite disappointed to learn that their landlord doesn’t allow pets.
The men, who are engineers, had all grown up with animals and thought that having a dog in their home would be nice. So when they saw a dog looking at them from their neighbor’s window one day, they decided to make a bold move: write a letter to the homeowners to offer their services as dog walkers/caretakers.
“If you ever need someone to walk him/her, we will gladly do so,” their letter read. “If you ever get bored (we know you never will, but we can dream) we are more than happy to look after him/her. If you want to come over and bring him/her to brighten our day, you are more than welcome. If you want to walk past our balcony windows so we can see him/her, please do.”
They admitted to fearing that the letter might come on a bit too strong, but they explained to their neighbors that they just missed having a dog in the house.
“The adult life is a struggle without one,” they wrote. The men signed off as “the boys from number 23.”
The four guys looked forward to a response, but they probably didn’t expect a reply “written” by the German Shepherd-Labrador mix herself!
They soon got a letter addressed to “the boys” stamped with a paw print on the back. From the get-go, the friends knew the note would contain good news.
“What a treat it was to receive your letter,” read the note written on behalf of the dog, Stevie Ticks, by her owner, Sarah Tolman. “I love meeting new people and it would be great if we can be friends. I must warn you that the price of my friendship is 5 x ball throws a day and belly scritches whenever I demand them.”
“We here understand how hard it is to find pet friendly rentals — and life just isn’t full without a dog in it — right?! I’d love to hang whenever you fancy,” the letter continued.
On December 10, 2019, McCrossan shared their exchange on Twitter, and it soon went viral. A few days later, the guys finally met then 2-year-old Stevie, who was adopted by Tolman and her partner, Chris Bowley, from a shelter in Cyprus.
Meeting Stevie was as great as the men expected. They said that she was as energetic as described—the pup wouldn’t stop running when they took her for a walk.
Stevie bonded with the guys for an hour for playtime at their house.
Tolman said it was obvious she had fun. They could hear her thundering around through the walls, and when they brought her back, she sat fussing at the door and window for hours.
Tolman, Bowley, and the men have set up a group chat so the boys can offer their dog walking and care services as needed.
Stevie’s mom was so touched by the effort the group had made to reach out to their neighbor, so she felt compelled to write back to them. The couple also empathized with their neighbors and understood that having a four-legged friend at home is an extremely enriching experience.
“We’ve always believed that the love dogs give should be shared by all. It’s incredibly difficult to have your own dog with renting so it makes sense for us to share the love out,” they told TODAY via email.
Stevie has become an internet celebrity since their story went viral. So far, her Instagram has amassed 68.7K followers! You can follow Stevie Ticks on Instagram here.
This wholesome story will make anyone smile from ear to ear. Share this with your friends and family!