Tillys Story - Part 5 The Conclusion
This is the final installment of Tilly's story and a bit longer than my regular post.
On the third week of her wandering she lucked upon the back entrance of a restaurant. A kindly woman would toss her scraps at the end of the night and leave her a bowl of fresh water. Tilly would scurry under a rusty metal dumpster to hide until she felt it was safe to creep out. When the woman would call Tilly's body would wiggle in excitement. Maybe this would be her new family.
One night the lady looped a rope around her neck and put her inside a cage. Tilly whimpered and her body trembled in fear. She was taken to a new place where there were many dogs, all barking and many frightened. This was different from where Tilly had grown up. These dogs were all manner of breeds and shapes. Some were fierce and growled as Tilly was led past their enclosure, some barked a greeting and leapt at their doors.
Tilly was placed in a cement floor run with four other small dogs but here there was food and water. She gobbled down the kibble and gulped water until she thought she would burst. Satiated she made her way to the outside area of the pen and listened to the cacophony of sounds. The smells too were different here than what she had known. She recognized the smell of fear but a new smell as well - one of hope.
Several times people came to the door of the cage she shared. Her mates would bark and jump in a frenzy as if to say, take me, take me. But Tilly remained outside where the pen didn't feel as confining.
At the end of the second day came a lady with a soft voice and a good smell. She called to Tilly until she could resist no longer. Slowly she ventured inside the pen to the gate but she remained behind the other dogs, watching and waiting.
The next day the lady came back again and this time Tilly was led outside of her pen. Her fur was so tightly matted it tore her skin when she walked but she couldn't contain her excitement as she waltzed out the door. The lady talked to her softly and Tilly felt her heart surge with joy. The lady picked Tilly up despite her scruffy appearance and held her close - so close Tilly could have stayed there forever. She promised Tilly she would return as soon as Tilly was allowed to leave. Tilly tried to tell her new friend that she would be a good girl if only she would give her the chance. Little did Tilly know that she had already stolen Julie's heart.
As promised, Julie returned two days later to the county animal control shelter. She left with Tilly who trembled as she rode inside a laundry basket filled to the brim with blankets. There would be no more puppies in her future and there would be no more days of hunger or fear. Despite Tilly's reservations, she felt, in every fiber of her being, that something good was happening.
Tilly arrived at her new home, filled with squeaky toys and a soft bed. There would be 'spa' days to shave her matted fur and dental visits to remove her broken and infected teeth. But each day she learned what it meant to be truly loved for the first time in her life.
This was not the end of Tilly's journey but instead the happy beginning.
================================
I felt compelled to write a fictionalized account of Tilly Mint's story. There were so may events which were driven by a force greater than our own.
The coincidence that led Julie to call me and our decision to drive to downtown Phoenix the next day to Halo Animal Rescue's main location to simply take a look - only a day after Tilly had been found on the streets and turned in to animal control. We don't know how long she wandered or where she came from but the likelihood is that she was a puppy mill breeder as evidenced by her body.
The force that made us go to the county side of the shelter even though we planned to look only at dogs ready for adoption through Halo.
The fact that she was in the last pen of the last building.
Julie's persistence in convincing the shy, frightened little girl to come inside the run so she could get a look at her. Tilly's body was missing fur on the back half and what she had was severely matted with feces. Several of her front teeth were broken or missing giving her a lopsided grin. She smelled horrible and looked worse.
The fact that Halo Animal Rescue passed on taking Tilly as a rescue which meant, unless someone with vision took her, she would be euthanized.
The way Tilly waltzed out with the handler when we went to meet her the next day. As a person who has had cats her entire life, I've never felt any animal explode into my heart the way Tilly did at that moment. Even today, the memory of her makes me cry. As we sat in the fenced area to get to know the little dog with the big heart, I asked Julie if she had decided. She could only nod before we were both battling the ugly cry.
Julie was forced by county regulation to wait two more excruciating days until they were assured no one would claim Tilly. Once spayed and given a basic health checkup Julie was allowed to take her home, in the laundry basket filled with blankets. She took her not knowing her age or actual physical condition. Would her fur ever grow back? What might she cost in vet bills if she had a disease? Was she an older dog who might only have a year or two left? But Julie had fallen in love at first sight with this little Velcro dog and it didn't matter. She swore to give Tilly a good life for whatever time she had.
And fate has smiled on Tilly. Teeth removed, fur growing back nicely she has no other known health issues. She has the best new mom there could ever be and will never have a worry.
Happy Trails,
Leslie
Visit my website for news and book updates
On the third week of her wandering she lucked upon the back entrance of a restaurant. A kindly woman would toss her scraps at the end of the night and leave her a bowl of fresh water. Tilly would scurry under a rusty metal dumpster to hide until she felt it was safe to creep out. When the woman would call Tilly's body would wiggle in excitement. Maybe this would be her new family.
One night the lady looped a rope around her neck and put her inside a cage. Tilly whimpered and her body trembled in fear. She was taken to a new place where there were many dogs, all barking and many frightened. This was different from where Tilly had grown up. These dogs were all manner of breeds and shapes. Some were fierce and growled as Tilly was led past their enclosure, some barked a greeting and leapt at their doors.
Tilly was placed in a cement floor run with four other small dogs but here there was food and water. She gobbled down the kibble and gulped water until she thought she would burst. Satiated she made her way to the outside area of the pen and listened to the cacophony of sounds. The smells too were different here than what she had known. She recognized the smell of fear but a new smell as well - one of hope.
Several times people came to the door of the cage she shared. Her mates would bark and jump in a frenzy as if to say, take me, take me. But Tilly remained outside where the pen didn't feel as confining.
At the end of the second day came a lady with a soft voice and a good smell. She called to Tilly until she could resist no longer. Slowly she ventured inside the pen to the gate but she remained behind the other dogs, watching and waiting.
The next day the lady came back again and this time Tilly was led outside of her pen. Her fur was so tightly matted it tore her skin when she walked but she couldn't contain her excitement as she waltzed out the door. The lady talked to her softly and Tilly felt her heart surge with joy. The lady picked Tilly up despite her scruffy appearance and held her close - so close Tilly could have stayed there forever. She promised Tilly she would return as soon as Tilly was allowed to leave. Tilly tried to tell her new friend that she would be a good girl if only she would give her the chance. Little did Tilly know that she had already stolen Julie's heart.
As promised, Julie returned two days later to the county animal control shelter. She left with Tilly who trembled as she rode inside a laundry basket filled to the brim with blankets. There would be no more puppies in her future and there would be no more days of hunger or fear. Despite Tilly's reservations, she felt, in every fiber of her being, that something good was happening.
Tilly arrived at her new home, filled with squeaky toys and a soft bed. There would be 'spa' days to shave her matted fur and dental visits to remove her broken and infected teeth. But each day she learned what it meant to be truly loved for the first time in her life.
This was not the end of Tilly's journey but instead the happy beginning.
================================
I felt compelled to write a fictionalized account of Tilly Mint's story. There were so may events which were driven by a force greater than our own.
The coincidence that led Julie to call me and our decision to drive to downtown Phoenix the next day to Halo Animal Rescue's main location to simply take a look - only a day after Tilly had been found on the streets and turned in to animal control. We don't know how long she wandered or where she came from but the likelihood is that she was a puppy mill breeder as evidenced by her body.
The force that made us go to the county side of the shelter even though we planned to look only at dogs ready for adoption through Halo.
The fact that she was in the last pen of the last building.
Julie's persistence in convincing the shy, frightened little girl to come inside the run so she could get a look at her. Tilly's body was missing fur on the back half and what she had was severely matted with feces. Several of her front teeth were broken or missing giving her a lopsided grin. She smelled horrible and looked worse.
The fact that Halo Animal Rescue passed on taking Tilly as a rescue which meant, unless someone with vision took her, she would be euthanized.
The way Tilly waltzed out with the handler when we went to meet her the next day. As a person who has had cats her entire life, I've never felt any animal explode into my heart the way Tilly did at that moment. Even today, the memory of her makes me cry. As we sat in the fenced area to get to know the little dog with the big heart, I asked Julie if she had decided. She could only nod before we were both battling the ugly cry.
Julie was forced by county regulation to wait two more excruciating days until they were assured no one would claim Tilly. Once spayed and given a basic health checkup Julie was allowed to take her home, in the laundry basket filled with blankets. She took her not knowing her age or actual physical condition. Would her fur ever grow back? What might she cost in vet bills if she had a disease? Was she an older dog who might only have a year or two left? But Julie had fallen in love at first sight with this little Velcro dog and it didn't matter. She swore to give Tilly a good life for whatever time she had.
And fate has smiled on Tilly. Teeth removed, fur growing back nicely she has no other known health issues. She has the best new mom there could ever be and will never have a worry.
Tilly on the day Julie decided to adopt her
Tilly today
Happy Trails,
Leslie
Visit my website for news and book updates
Comments
Post a Comment