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Rescue - that has never been a choice with me. It is who I am. Been involved since I was little. One day, I saw a post about a dog needing a new foster with a group I foster with (Angels Among Us). She needed a calm home. Well, I had two laidback dogs and no kids, so volunteer I did!

 

When I picked her up, she peed all over the foster’s husband as he carried her out. She didn’t walk, she army crawled on a leash and tried to hide. In my house, she hid in corners, under blankets, under pillows. At adoption events, she would go to the bathroom while walking there and hide the whole time. She was a ghost dog.

Yes, I worked with her and she would get better slowly. Tiny bits. People who wanted her pitied her. Nope. No one was going to adopt her out of pity.

After a year and a half, I got a good application. Loved the people and, well, I cried. I’ve been fostering a long time and I don’t cry about dogs when they find a home. With her, I did. And, yes, I couldn’t let her go and yes, I did help that wonderful couple find another dog.

It took Muppet eight months to wag her tail, 22 months to want to cuddle and three years to bark. Here we are 11 years later and I adore her crazy self. She is a hoot and so opinionated with lots of sass. Give an animal time and love and they will eventually blossom. Don’t ever give up.

UPDATE 

Everyone that meets my Muppet comments on her looks. How can you not? She looks like she came out of a Jim Henson movie or plays with electricity. What takes them a minute to see is her special personality and how far she has come.

See, Muppet is amazing. She might not be the friendly, happy dog we all see and love but she is unique and magic. She is all things sass.

Muppet used to walk down the stairs, stop, look to see who was in the living room and decide if it was worth going down the rest of the stairs. You felt honored if she decided you are worthy. At this point in time, when people come over, she greets them and will stand there to wait to be petted. It is her world and you reach for her. When she is done with you, she will walk away. She is the queen. She will come on the bed in the morning and want to be petted. If you stop, she will reach out in front of her eyes and paw like "Here I am, pet me!" It is the cutest thing.

Muppet is a little hunter. She will focus on a chipmunk and stare at the hole it went into with intensity. Don't worry, she has never got one. She has high hopes, though!

All her growth touches me. It took her eight months to wag her tail, twenty-two months to cuddle, and three years to bark. Being part of her growth has been my greatest pride in rescue. I absolutely adore her and her quirks.

Unfortunately, she has a really bad heart murmur so her days are numbered. I am hoping she will beat the odds and have years to go. In the meantime, she gets a specialized diet and farm fresh veggies. She is loved and I always make sure she will know she is beautiful because she is.

Story submitted by Leigh Hodes from Henrico, Virginia.

This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!