Bishop’s Story- Part 1

The Story of Bishop – A Journey of Fate, Family, and Finding Home

Part One: A Gut Feeling

There were a lot of factors surrounding Bishop in the beginning. His story is full of unexpected turns, divine timing, and a whole lot of heart—on so many levels, it’s just plain fun.

February 2023 , I was having conversations about getting a Dalmatian with a very specific temperament for therapy work. I contacted several rescues and even a breeder, outlining exactly what I was looking for. That’s when the rescue reached out. They told me the dogs I had inquired about probably wouldn’t be the best fit—but then said something unexpected:
“I think Bishop would be a good fit.”

I paused—Bishop? I didn’t remember asking about him. I had to go back and check. Turns out, he wasn’t listed on their site at all. I Googled and eventually found a single Facebook post with his photo. I didn’t remember seeing it before, but when I did, something clicked. He looked cool. I asked for more info.

Funny thing—Bishop wasn’t even meant to be mine. Originally, he was supposed to go to my parents. I was going to bring him to them and just use him for station visits when needed. After several back-and-forths with the rescue, we set a pickup date. It was an 11-hour drive one way—so I needed to be really sure. The rescue said, “We won’t hold him.” So it was now or never.

Two days before the trip, my mom called: “I don’t think we should take the dog. You should cancel.”
I sat with that for a moment… but my gut wouldn’t let it go. I said, “I’m not cancelling. He needs to come home. I don’t know if that means your home or mine—but I’m going to get him.”

A good friend of mine, a dog trainer, was hesitant. “A Dalmatian?” she said. But then she added, “I like his name, Bishop, for what you want him to do.”

I laughed—“Omg, you’re right!”

And so the trip began. Just me, Tiny Tim, and a lot of questions. I still didn’t know if he was staying with me or going to my parents, but I knew he was coming to Arizona.

Bishop’s original posted rescue picture