Once just days away from euthanasia, Guy Markle, Dog of Sussex, now lives in a palace.

By Jennifer Grant

Moving across the Atlantic for love is a daunting step for anyone. It requires equal measures of hope, fortitude, and incredible guts. In short, you’ve got to have the “eye of the tiger” in your spirit. Guy Markle, the rescue Beagle adopted two years ago by the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, is all of this.

In 2015, a sweet brown and white Beagle was found wandering the woods in Kentucky, USA. You can imagine how disoriented and frightened this little sweetheart would have been before a kind stranger scooped him up and brought him to the Montgomery County Animal Shelter.

Unfortunately, this particular shelter was out of space and had to call around its network to find a spot for Guy. People Magazine reports that the owner of an Oakville (Ontario, Canada) shelter, Delores Doherty, remembers getting the call about the possibility of Guy coming up to Canada. Doherty responded, “Yes,” adding that she always says, “Yes.”

The truth is, how could you say no when you are aware that the alternative for a dog is euthanasia. The Dog’s Dream Rescue, owned by Doherty, has a history of helping Beagles find new homes. Doherty agreed to take Guy, and so began his epic journey fraught with anxiety and victory, tears and joyful deliverance.

In 2015, a team of volunteers agreed to drive Guy to Canada. Each person took a one or two hour segment of the journey, passing Guy from car to car and stranger to stranger until he arrived at A Dog’s Dream Rescue. Confusion and anxiety would have consumed little Guy’s mind as he wondered who these people were and when this endless car ride and its parade of new smells would end.

Guy wasn’t long at the shelter before actor, Meghan Markle, called to find out if there were any Beagles available for adoption. She was living in Toronto, filming the series Suits, and was looking for a companion for her other Beagle rescue, named Bogart.

Image: Mail Online/Lainey Gossip.

Fast forward to May of 2018 and Guy is reported to be riding around the town of London, England accompanying the Queen of England. Queen Elizabeth has a long history of loving dogs, and it is said that she has taken great attachment to Guy. Who wouldn’t? Guy is one of a kind. He is the same dog he ever was. Despite his struggles in life, he has remained sweet and steady in character; despite his meteoric rise to fame and fortune, he has remained humble and loving.

Guy’s story brings to mind one of my favorite quotes from C.S. Lewis: “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”

It’s about being yourself, staying grounded no matter how disorienting life becomes. For, truly, you can never know where your path will take you, whether it be dirt or diamonds. But, you can hold onto grace and hope no matter what.

There is one spot of sadness in this tale, in that Bogart is too ill to make the trip overseas. He is currently living in a loving home with close friends in Toronto, Canada; although Guy must miss his best friend very much.

Guy’s fame is now being used to raise money for the Kentucky shelter that was his starting point in this journey. Cindy Rullman, a Lexington native, has started a campaign of T-shirt sales to help other dogs at the shelter. It’s pretty adorable. All purchases will go to help pets at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter.

When you consider today’s circumstances, remember the inspirational tale of Guy Markle. Life will move up and down as it seeks some sort of harmony and rhythm unique to your journey. Just remember to keep the faith and stay humble, even if you do one day become a Royal.