By Ryan Arena

L’Observateur

LAPLACE — Patti North’s prayers were answered. And if animals pray in their own way, perhaps that goes double.

While this story has a happy ending, it begins three weeks ago with a tale of abandonment. A six-week old puppy was abandoned at the doorstep of First Baptist Church in LaPlace, sheltered by an old kennel, on April 21.

As fate would have it, that was the day of a craft fair at the church. Linda Lambert, the executive director at St. John ARC and a Sunday School teacher at FBC, found the pup and brought him inside.

Meanwhile, North, who lives in Baton Rouge, was inside with her daughter, Katie, who lives in LaPlace and creates children’s specialty clothes and embroidery.

That she’d be there on this day was a fortunate twist.

North adopted Sam, a golden retriever who had also been abandoned, years ago from the pound. But at 16 years of age, Sam passed away a year and a half ago.

“My daughter and son-in-law asked me if they could get me a puppy for Christmas,” said North. “They thought I needed a companion. I said that it was sweet of them, but I had been praying for a dog that needed a home, and I was sure God would send him my way.

“I’ve always taken in rescue dogs. I’ve always looked for dogs who have needed me as much as I’ve needed them,” she said.

Enter Lambert with the puppy.

“She walked in with the puppy … at first someone said it was a little girl. I had a boy dog on my mind, but I started questioning whether, perhaps, I was meant to have a little girl.

“I didn’t say anything until one lady pointed out that it was actually a boy puppy.”

That revelation moved North to action.

“I think, ‘That’s my puppy!’” she exclaimed.

At first, the others were confused, taking North to mean that she was actually the one to leave the puppy outside.

“Their initial reactions were along the lines of, ‘You horrible woman! Leaving that puppy,’” said North. “But then I explained my situation. I told them that I had been praying for a dog, a rescue dog, and that I thought this was meant to happen.”

Lambert didn’t disagree and granted North’s wish on one condition.

“She told me that she had already named him Brees because he’s black and gold, like the Saints colors,” North said. “She said that he was mine, so long as I agreed to call him Brees.

“And how ungracious I was, looking back. I said, before my brain could kick in, that in my prayers my dog was named Buddy.”

Lambert came up with a quick solution.

“She handed him to me and said, ‘Well then, it’s official. His name is Buddy Brees.’ And I cried. It was so special for me. And Miss Linda and the people at the church were wonderful.”

To North, the symbolism was clear. Not only had God, in her mind, granted her wish, but he made his work apparent.

“He not only answered my prayers, but he delivered my puppy to a church so that I’d know he’s a gift from God,” she said.

Another fact from the almost-too-strange-to-be-a-coincidence file: North’s father-in-law is the late John North, the former head coach of the Saints who would almost certainly approve of the newest black and gold addition to his daughter-in-law’s family.

North offered understanding for the people who left Buddy outside of the church. At six weeks old, North explained, a dog would need his vaccination shots.

“They probably knew that. In fairness to them, they maybe couldn’t afford the shots,” she said. “I’ve seen people just open a car door and abandon dogs on the side of the road. I think these people cared about the puppy and brought him somewhere they knew he’d be found and cared for.”

She expects that this turn of fate will lead to a long and prosperous relationship.

“If he lives as long as Sam did, I’ll be in a nursing home by the time I’d even think about another dog,” she said.

“I know (the day she adopted Buddy Brees) will be one I’ll always remember,” she added.

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