Where to begin?!

I have been thinking about where to begin when I start my blog -- there is so much to tell and had I started this a year ago, it would have been easier, but so much has happened in a year. So, I've decided to just start from the beginning :)


6 years ago (almost to the date), I had just moved to North Carolina (from Indiana, yes that's a big move, but that's where life had a different plan for me - that's a whole other story and totally unrelated to this blog so we are going to skip ahead). I have always LOVED animals (in fact, it was a running joke in my family because I was super allergic to dogs, cats, horses, etc. growing up and my family laughed that God has a sense of humor for making me love animals so much and be so allergic to them - real funny!). I was so determined and wanted a dog more than anything so I researched and made up my mind - I was getting a golden retriever! Yes, I know, with allergies and I pick the dog with the most hair. I also lived in an apartment, but was committed to providing her a great life despite this with MANY trips to the dog park, several walks a day, and obedience classes. This was also long before I realized how important rescue was (I grew up on a farm and we just had animals all over all the time - most that we had acquired from other people and people we knew, I was 'sheltered' and didn't realize the importance of rescuing at the time) so I looked in the classifieds and found a sweet family with a litter of puppies (*cringe*, I know, but keep reading - I will explain the importance of this). I picked the only girl left and clearly the runt of the litter (eeeeee she was the most beautiful pup I had ever seen!)

It was settled -- this girl would be my first OWN dog. Now I had wanted a dog so badly for so long that I even had a name picked out for the year prior. Brooklyn - yes, she would make a perfect Brooklyn.

 

What I didn't realize is how she would change my life forever. She became my very best friend and at times, the only friend I had in NC -- she became everything to me. I can't imagine my life without her and though she was quite the terror puppy, she has turned into an amazing dog, perfect I must say. I also learned that after a year (and a lot of money later) that she had major stomach issues due to having food allergies and that she was born with cataracts. My precious baby (who I thought was just really clumsy) at one year old could only see at 50%. I was so sad for her - though now I know that she doesn't know any different and she can smell better than ANY dog I know.

 

Now when I said life changing - I could list SEVERAL reasons that she changed my life, but the biggest thing she showed me is a dogs love. She has been there for me through some of the worst times in my life and kept me company when I just didn't think I could go on. She has seen many smiles, laughs, and caught many tears in the past 6 years. She is the definition of loyal. I wanted so badly to give back after she had given me so much - I wanted to help other dogs that weren't so lucky. She made me want to help other dogs and lead me to rescue. Since the day Brooklyn came into my life, we met the man that would become her daddy (yes, we - we were a packaged deal, after all) and moved into a house with a yard for Brooklyn. This was the opportunity for me to begin my life with rescue (luckily my husband LOVES dogs also and was all for rescue and helping foster dogs). This is where it all begins -- I will get into more rescue/ foster stories and the main purpose of this blog at a later time so bear with me and thank you for letting me share my stories and experiences with you :) I will leave you with a picture from our wedding (just 9 months ago) and of course, Brooklyn was part of our big day!

 

Please adopt and spay/ neuter your pets, this is a life changing decision - 'rescuing one dog may not change the world, but for that one dog, the world will be changed forever'

~ Sarah