Newsroom
Sometimes, it’s the smallest gestures that make the biggest difference. For Jack McCrossan and his friends, the spark came in the form of a black sheprador named Stevie Ticks, a lively mix of German Shepherd and Labrador, and a proud adoptee from Cyprus.
When McCrossan moved to Bristol six years ago, he was disappointed to discover that his new home didn’t allow pets. But just across the road, Stevie peeked out of a neighbor’s window, full of energy and charm. Inspired, the young men wrote a heartfelt letter to her owner, Sarah Tolman, asking if they could take the dog for walks or even just spend time with her to brighten their days.
“If he/she ever needs someone to take him/her for a walk, we will do so with great pleasure,” they wrote. “If you ever get bored… we’d be more than happy to take care of him/her. If you want to stop by our house and bring him/her to brighten our day, you’re always welcome.”
They signed off with a gentle plea: “Adult life is difficult without one. Sincerely, the boys from number 23.”
The reply came in the most endearing way, through Stevie herself. Well, technically, through her owner, who translated the dog’s personality into words.
“She is two years and four months old, adopted from Cyprus, and very friendly and full of energy,” Tolman wrote on behalf of Stevie. “I love meeting new people, and it would be great to become friends. I must warn you that the price of my friendship is five ball throws a day and a belly scratch whenever I demand it.”
A few days later, McCrossan and his friends finally met Stevie. “Meeting Stevie was great,” he told Buzzfeed. “She was definitely as energetic as she described. We took her for a walk, and she wouldn’t stop running!”
The small gesture of writing a letter, and the dog’s joyful acceptance, ended up breaking down a familiar modern barrier: neighbors drifting apart. “Today, when people don’t really know or talk to their neighbors, it was really beautiful that they broke that barrier,” Tolman said.
The story captured hearts online, going viral as a reminder that sometimes, even dogs can bring a neighborhood together. Stevie, now 9, continues to live her best life in Bristol and has even been featured on the local cafe’s “dog wall of fame.”
For McCrossan and his friends, the memory of that tiny black Sheprador, an adoptee from Cyprus with a big personality, remains a heartwarming reminder that connection, kindness, and a little bit of fur can make a community feel like home.
Been saying we’d love a dog about the house but our landlord doesn’t allow pets, so my housemate posted a letter to our neighbours asking if we could walk their dog every once and a while and the response was better than we could have ever hoped for pic.twitter.com/dcMOfPk5UH
— Jack McCrossan (@Jack_McCrossan) December 10, 2019
*Source: Iefimerida.gr
