Saturday, November 28, 2009

♥Sometimes a dog dumped out like a piece of trash finds a home for the holidays♥

Sometimes a dog just gets lucky. Sometimes a dog has a guardian angel. Sometimes everything falls in place at the right moment in time. Sometimes a life is saved.

My son and his wife decided a few weeks ago that it was time to get a family dog. They already had bunnies, a guinea pig, a couple of cats, so it just stood to reason that a dog should be added into the mix. With the decision made - Dave's wife, Becky, got on the computer and began to browse petfinder.com.

They didn't want a puppy but a grown dog of medium size, hopefully a retriever mix - a little female. Becky found a listing for a dog that sounded like it might be a good match but there was no photo. She called the shelter (about 45 miles away) and asked about the pup in question. She was told that the dog had been found in a store parking lot loaded with fleas, starved, toenails so long that they looked like corkscrews and no hair on the back half of her body. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?



After explaining their family situation - four children, one with a disability - the shelter worker said that the little dog might be a good match for them because she was sweet natured and loving. But she cautioned Becky that the dog was in no way attractive to look at. The worker did have every confidence that with some good care the dog would blossom and that the hair would grow back on the pooch's back half.

Becky thought the little shelter pup might be just what her family ordered.  After everyone agreed to help with its care, mom, dad and kids piled into the family mini van and took off for the shelter. Undaunted by the bald bottom and scabby skin (there must have been 1000s of fleas before treatment by the shelter), an adoption took place and the little dog with long toenails clicking on the pavement jumped into the van to begin her new life as a family pet. The little dog wasn't judged by her looks, alone, but through eyes that knew a good home could work miracles. (I was later told that even if all her hair didn't grow back they were prepared for that, too.)



She received a name - Mitzy. She got spayed. Her toenails got cut while she was under anesthetic. She was given an oatmeal bath to soothe her skin and food was purchased that promised to promote hair growth and good skin condition. That little dog that someone tossed out appeared to have had a litter of puppies at her tender age - imagined to be about 18 months.

The dog no one wanted. The dog that was abandoned, starved and miserable had a fur-ever home at last. She wore a red collar and rainbow hued ID tag telling the world that she had a name and she had a home and she had a family of six people that cared about her.

I met Mitzy over the Thanksgiving holiday when she came to visit her northern relatives. Painfully thin, even after a month of good meals, her hair is beginning to grow back. Her temperament is remarkable. She is patient with children and loving to adults. She got along well with the other dogs she met during the course of her holiday visit. She was polite and sweet and kind and gentle. She acted as though any act of kindness or tender word was a treasure to her heart.



Yes, sometimes a pup gets lucky and sometimes a family gets lucky and sometimes a life is saved and sometimes there is a very happy ending. What someone else tossed out like trash another family found to be of worth and have value. I wish all lost dogs could find a home for the holidays just like Mitzy - my newest grand-dog.


National Canine Cancer Foundation

37 comments:

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

Oh my...oh my...

Mom is all leaky fur Mitzy's story khould be some of the passengers in my Xterra -

She's soooo beaWOOtiful and I khan soooo tell she knows how lukhky she is!

Just like Merdie's story of Aunt Shannon seeing the beaWOOty behind the mess, so khan we see Mitzy's pawesomeness!

Please thank you son's furamily fur us!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra and her mom

dArtagnan Rumblepurr/Diego Hamlet Moonfur said...

So happy that this beautiful puppy has found it's forever home with such wonderful people. She really is beautiful.

Teddy Bear said...

What a beautiful story. How anyone could throw out any dog like trash is unbelievable! I am so glad that Mitzy has found such a pawesome furever home. She's a beauty!

Love,
Teddy Bear

Domi said...

That is so wonderful. Dogs are amazing in that it seems like the worst they have been treated the more loving they end up being when they are finally given the chance.

We are leaving to go meet Kane in just a couple of hours. Hopefully he will be starting a new happy story in his life just like Mitzy's. I'm so excited.

~Domi's girl

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

What a touching story AND what a beauty Mitzy is!!! It is so kind of your son and family to a second chance on life. In this case, the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree - you trained him well.

Woos, the OP Pack

♥I am Holly♥ said...

That is such a wonderful story. Mitzy is beautiful!! I am so glad she ended up getting a great home.

Sue said...

She's beautiful. I'm so glad that someone could see past the cosmetic problems and find the wonderful dog underneath. Happy Holidays to Mitzy from the Porties and our two throw-away dogs Morgan and Tsar.

Angel Ginger Jasper said...

That is a beautiful story and made us so glad that there is happy endings out there.. What a beautiful gentle dog.. JUst lovely.. HUgs GJ xx

Martha said...

Oh Mitzy is beautiful with the gentlest eyes.
We are continually humbled by dogs being full of love despite their dreadful treatment at the hands of some humans!
We are so happy that for Mitzy is there is a happy ending.
Like you we wish it was the same for every dog in shelters everywhere.
Thank you for sharing Mitzy's story.
xxx

Sheila and Bob said...

What a wonderful story and it shows what love and care can do.
God Bless You.


Hamish & Sophie

The Oceanside Animals said...

What a great happy ending for a sweet girl.

Brindusa (Brinda Dasha) said...

What a nice story! Nice to hear such happy ending. Hopefully we'll hear something like that here, too.

Heather in MN said...

Aw, that made me cry. Such a sad story, with such a beautiful happy ending.
Congratulations on the new granddoggie. :) Hugs to you and your whole family and especially to Mitzy. :)

Heather in MN

Sierra Rose said...

Just wonderful! Sweet pup find a super family and all the big love that follows. Lovely!

Hugs and snaggle-tooth kisses,
Sierra Rose

Sam said...

I'm all choked up over here! What a beautiful dog, and how LUCKY that she found such a wonderful home after a life of abuse and neglect. There is still good in the world..

Sam said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Backcountry Brodie said...

Wot a grate howliday story! Mitzy is adorabul and I can tell you for shore she will always be grateful. All I has to say to the peeples who dumped her is to watch out coz what goes around comes around.

Deborah said...

Awww, what a beautiful story, Mitzy and her family are so happy to have each other!
That is a great story!

Sierra Rose said...

Hi again! Just wanted to say, we love the new background! Now need some snow for real!
Thanks for asking, Sierra is fully using her leg that she was limping on after the attack. She seems pretty well adjusted. Whew!
Blessings!

Hugs and snaggle-tooth kisses,
Sierra Rose and mom

Farley's Mom said...

Misty sounds like a precious girl, and we are so happy she was saved by a loving family who is giving her the good life she always deserved! I love a happy ending :)

Tweedles -- that's me said...

This story had such a happy ending thanks to your son for adopting Mitzie. It is so sad when irresposible people dump their animals.
Mitzie has the kindest looking eyes and is so beautiful.
We get so many cats dumped off here- we can't just let them starve. And sometimes they are sick.
Thank goodness for your son and his family.
love
tweedles

Yas said...

Beautiful tail, oops i mean tale!
Thanks for sharing it!!

Cheers,
Maxx

Mochi and Bali said...

What a great story! She's such a beautiful and lucky girl! Thanks for sharing!

Mochi

Elizabeth Bergesen said...

Okay, time to get the tissues out! What a wonderful story, and such a beautiful girl. No doubt that she will bring happieness to her family!

Elizabeth & Luna

River said...

What a great story! Mitzy is so lucky. Such a sweet girl deserves pampering.

love & wags,
River

jabblog said...

What a lovely son and daughter-in-law you have to take in the poor wee dog. Isn't she just beautiful - those eyes would melt the hardest heart. Mitzy will repay her new family a thousandfold. It's amazing how forgiving a mistreated dog can be when it's given a chance.

Dexter said...

She is so beautiful! What a brave little girl to hang on until she found her furever home.

Slobbers,
Mango

Hero said...

Thank you for sharing Mitzy's story with us. She is so beautiful now that I can't imagine her being that same homeless dog you described. I'm so glad to hear that she's finally found her family.

An English Shepherd said...

What a lovely story Mitzy sounds great.

Wizz :-)

Dog By Nature said...

What a lovely happy ending! It's amazing what these rescued pups go through and still are so wonderful. Kudos to your family for adopting one so in need!

Ms. ~K said...

I have tears rolling down my cheeks...Wonderful story w/ a happy ending...
Hugs to your wonderful family and Mitzy the lucky pup!
Kit

Unknown said...

Yep... there are sad beginning with happy endings. Mitzy is a beautiful dog with a family lucky to have found her.
norwood

Angel Tucker, Daisy and Leo said...

What a nice story and such a sweet looking girl. We are glad she found your family for a great forever home.

Tucker and Daisy

Astrid Keel said...

awwww.... thank you for sharing dear Mitzy's story with us... we think she is a bootiful dog - inside and out!
xoxo,
Brownie

Valerie Cummings said...

Oh that story gave us the warm and fuzzies! Thank you for sharing!!!! Hugs Joey and Kealani

Ruby's Raiser said...

Thank you for sharing this story. It is so fitting that this beautiful dog would wind up with such a beautiful family. :) Enjoy her!

ClassyChassy said...

I love this post - there are so many dogs looking for homes - and this is a big help for those who are not shopping at the pet stores, but adopting needy and disgarded pets! Thanks for posting this heart warming story! You should link this wonderful story up to Tuesdays Show and Tail at http://wvtreasures.blogspot.com when she posts this evening or tomorrow morning! More people need to read this!!! Esp during the holiday season when people want to buy puppies and over look some of the greatest adult pets in the world!