It is so hard to be on the frontlines of a dog shelter and make tough decisions. I have a friend that knows this firsthand. It is a constant battle to find the right homes for these special animals, all while juggling the limited space available. My friend is my Hero as she promotes each dog and works tirelessly to make all the connections work. This wouldn't be possible unless the Shelter, the community, the rescues, and yes, the adopters all make a commitment. It is true what they say about it taking a village to raise kids and this is also true about saving animals. No ONE person can do it all, but as a community we can make our small piece of the world a better place for pets. With all the sad stories that come out of a County Shelter, occasionally, there is a perfect ending. This is true in the case of a lovely Lady named Bella. Bella is a beautiful 2-year-old boxer mix with amber eyes. When she first arrived at the shelter she was surrendered by her owner and was recovering from a wound on her neck from an imbedded collar and a lifetime of neglect. She was Heartworm positive and labeled an escape artist by her former owner and the shelter was warned she was a runner. Sometimes a label can stick and make people not even try to get to know an animal before walking past them in a kennel environment. For Bella, it was over two months of people walking by her at the shelter before a rescue person noticed her and decided she was worth getting to know. From the moment Bella was taken outside into the play area, it was evident there was more to this beauty than anyone had realized. She was dog friendly, playful, and loving. She played fetch and smiled with happiness as she scrunched up her nose in delight. Finally, she was given a chance to shine and shine she did. She learned to sit, stay and play dead all within the first five days in her new Foster home. She learned to walk on a leash and to be gentle. She learned what belly rubs were and how fun it was to be truly loved by her Foster Mom. She became an amazing companion while still attending events to look for her forever home. Her first event was confusing as she was standing outside at an adoption event with many other dogs. She wanted to play but was apprehensive to warm up to people. By her 2nd event she was winning hearts but still didn't find her forever home. She kept learning new ways to show off her superior brain power with her Foster Mom and by the 3rd event, she was bringing her leash to say she needed to go for a walk. It was at this 3rd event that Bella glanced across the parking lot and locked eyes on her forever Dad. She saw him coming and by his face we knew he was headed straight for Bella. This wonderful new adopter had specifically come to this event to see Bella after his wife found her post online. Within a week of being with her new family in her new home, she is truly happy. Her foseter mom watched her as she hoped in her new Dad Joe’s truck with no leash and according to her Joe, she has never showed any signs of running away or being disobedient. On the contrary, she is comfortable, happy and loved. When Joe heard about her time in the shelter, he couldn't understand how she was there for more than a day. She is a perfect dog and a great fit for anyone, especially him. He says she is even more beautiful in person and he and his family have changed their life to accommodate his new beautiful Lady. It is stories like this, that make my friend from the shelter keep smiling even through the tough days. It is stories like this that makes me ask you, when is the last time you took time to go visit the shelter and consider saving a life. In Joe's case, it was the girl of his dreams.
