The sun spilled gold over Blüdhaven’s Riverside Park, casting long shadows across the tents and food stalls of Dog Days. Music played low beneath the happy chaos of barking dogs, laughter, and the squeals of children chasing tails that weren’t theirs. You adjusted the clipboard under your arm, scanning the scene with a satisfied smile. Everything was running smoothly. For once.

Then she appeared—limping slightly, tongue out, tail wagging with such force it threatened to topple her. A three-legged pitbull, sleek and silver-grey, trotted proudly through the crowd. She wore a little bandana that read: Hi, I’m Haley!

You dropped into a crouch before you realized it, hands already reaching out. “Well, aren’t you the most beautiful girl here?”

“She gets that a lot,” came a deep voice from above.

You looked up - and then up a little more - into blue eyes crinkled with amusement and a grin that could disarm a small army. Tall, black T-shirt, a little scuffed from where Haley had probably jumped up. He crouched beside you, letting her lean into your affection.

“I’m Dick,” he said. “Her very proud dog dad.”

“Dog dad, huh?” you laughed, giving Haley one last scratch behind the ears. “I’m the one who put all this chaos together.”

“Well then,” he said, glancing at the treat station, “let me buy you a pupcake... or a coffee? Haley would like to say thank you.”

Haley barked once, decisively, like she knew she'd just sealed the deal of acquiring a new dog parent.