Zoey's Eyes

Talking About Dogs

National Dog Day is Wednesday, August 26^th, 2026. I think back to this day three years ago when I was in a dark place and my home’s silence was deafening. I had just lost my dog, Apollo, to a brain defect leaving me alone and a stranger to the life we had happily lived. Apollo was an impossible, spirited dog, causing havoc wherever he went. Yet, my love for him was boundless.

But then came Zoey: a border collie rescue from the streets of Houston, Texas. Although I love all dogs, I never wanted a border collie. Too smart, and too much energy for my quiet home. Besides, I had no sheep for a border collie to herd and watch over. Yet, here I was rescuing a border collie in need.

The night Zoey arrived from Houston, she thought the way around the house furniture was to fly over it. I remember looking at her freckled face and saying, “Zoey, in this house we walk around the furniture!”. Then I decided to bribe her with treats, that she promptly buried throughout the house, taking all the pillows off the couch and chairs, and bedspreads off the beds. “Zoey, I said, it is just you and I, and I am not going to steal your bones!” I was firmly convinced that I rescued a wild dog.

When I awoke the next day, I was afraid to open my eyes thinking Zoey would have caused massive destruction of the entire house. Yet instead, there she was cuddled up beside me and when she saw I was awake she greeted me with a kiss. Zoey means life and love to me. The name Zoey is of Greek origin and means life. She is appropriately named – representing the life she has breathed back into my soul. Our bond has impacted the quality of my life in such a positive way. Once again, life is good thanks to Zoey. She is my north star and homing device.

Zoey opens doors for people she likes, which generally means she welcomes the whole world into our home. She knows how to jump out of the car sunroof - no easy feat and she will honk the horn if I leave her behind for more than a minute and I am out of her sight.

There is something special about the eyes of a border collie: historically, a border collie’s eye movement was used to control and manage sheep. Zoey’s eyes see into my soul. Zoey is my watchful protector and she uses those piercing eyes to carefully watch over me. I am her sheep. We are connected to each other and have the reward of love for that connection. For those of us who love dogs and invest in them, the return to us is great. Celebrate your dog and all dogs on this day and realize how lucky we are for the love of our faithful friends. ***

Diane M. Sullivan, Assistant Dean and Professor of Law at the Massachusetts School of Law, is the author of:I Rescued Two Dogs; Now Who Will Rescue Me?; Please Can We Keep the Donkey?; and Life Is Not Always a Day at the Beach, as well as several law review articles in the animal law field.