While most of our Happy Beginnings stories come from adopters, we do hear some amazing stories of happily adopted pets from the shelters and rescues that list their pets for adoption on Adopt-a-Pet.com too! Here’s one now, from the S.A.V.E. Rescue Coalition in Santa Fe, Texas from their Happy Beginnings grant application: “One of our favorite “Happy Beginnings” tales is of Callie, a small maltese mix. Callie was abandoned with what are believed to be her daughters in a trailer park in a small town outside of Houston. The three pups were filthy, cold and tired, but glad to be in the pound. The small pound filled up quickly and their time was up, so a volunteer called us and asked if we could take them. We took in all three and the two younger ones were adopted shortly afterward together to a wonderful family. Little Callie had a very bad skin condition and battled it for three months, going from a mangy, ragged pup to a budding beauty. Her trouble was not up yet, as she was taken on a sleepover by a couple but returned as her skin issue had still not completely resolved. No one could figure out why her face would not heal. Finally, one of our great vets, looked at her teeth and she had a very bad abscess that was continually breaking through to the skin on her face. Mystery solved. The tooth came out and she was really on the mend this time. Throughout all of this she was a little trooper, never grumpy and always loving to her foster mom and family. Her hair on her face was still growing in but we decided that it was time to go out and meet the public again. We had our new trailer out for the second time and Callie was at the event. She was out getting ready to take a walk when this lovely couple walked in. They were there to see another dog but their eyes fell on Callie, with her slightly crooked smile and it was love at first sight. Callie had found her forever home. After some questions, an application, and a meet and greet with her new Doxie brother, Callie went “home” for the first time in months. She came back to visit a few days later, and although she was still very friendly, she was ready to go back to her “mom” right away. She knew she was where she was meant to be. As her foster mom, I missed her so much, but was so glad that she had found her very own home. Attached are pictures of Callie at the shelter, during her recovery and with her new family.”
Callie and her pups at the shelter
Callie healing