Pet Rescue News

Kaylie’s Story

Written by Rachel Phelps

My pals, it is time for the Iams Home 4 the Holidays 2012 campaign and our pals at the  Helen Woodward Animal Center shared with me a great story of pet adoption from their Most Heartwarming Story Contest.  Kaylie sounds like one great dog and because of The Friends of Plymouth Pound  she now has her perfect forever home.  Here is the story straight from the dog’s mouth.

My name is Kaylie. I live day-to-day tied to my doghouse. This is my place in life. I don’t know any different. Some days, if I’m lucky, I get a bowl of food. And, when it’s not frozen in the winter, some water. Otherwise, I eat something humans call snow. Each month, the collar I have had since I was a puppy, digs tighter into my neck. I am very thin, but not the size I was when I was a cute puppy. I thought when you became a dog, you were left in the cold and snow in the winter and the hot sun and dry, dusty dirt in the summer, but sometimes I watch other dogs being walked or playing on the grass. I spend a lot of time wondering about that! I don’t know that life, though, and I guess this is my place in life. I don’t know any different.

Until…. one day, a nice lady came and talked to the people who tied me to my doghouse, the place I know as “home”. The people explained to the lady that they had fallen upon difficult times and would soon be losing their house. They also said I was difficult to train and did not get along with people. Would that mean I’d be losing my (dog)house, too?

The lady took me and assured me she would work hard to find me a “forever home”. What is a “forever home“? I was afraid but little did I know, my life would never be the same and all those things I wondered about, I’d have and more! Thanks to The Friends of Plymouth Pound and Iams Home For The Holidays.

Thank you for allowing me to continue my story. I spent my next few months of my life in places called “foster homes” where people were very nice to me. I didn’t know it then, but that nice lady had IH4TH put me on the internet to try to find someone who would “adopt” me. Sometimes, while in my foster home, we would get visitors who would play with me. During this time, I had a few changes of these foster homes. I was a little confused, but that nice lady that I had seen before was always there when this happened. She kept saying those familiar words, “We will find you a forever home.” In October, she told me I was “going home”. I remember there was a lot of water falling from her eyes that day!

I have a mom, a dad, a little girl (my best friend), 1 cat, and 3 dogs in my family, including myself. Life is very different and I thank Friends of Plymouth Pound and Iams Home 4 the Holidays  for this. I play in the snow now! I had to learn that snow is for playing. My human friend laughed when she first brought me in the snow. I was eating it, of course… lots of it. That’s what I had been accustomed to doing. I knew something very special was happening when my human friend said to me, “Kaylie, you will never have to eat snow for thirst. You will always have fresh water. From now on, snow is for playing in.” We had so much fun that day. I love my friend!

My friend reads to me every day and her teacher says she writes about me in her journal every day at school. Her writing skills have improved so much these last few months. She said I must be one special dog! Until now, that word “special” was unfamiliar to me. I am honored and humbled to be that important- quite a contrast to the existence I had before. I choose my words carefully when I say “existence” and not “life” because they’re not the same. I know that now. Now, I have “life”, thanks to Friends of Plymouth Pound, my foster families and Iams Home  4 the Holidays. They worked together….  relentlessly… determined to find me a “forever home”. I never knew it could be like this! (Although I did spend a lot of time wondering.)

I go for lots of walks. I knew they looked like fun when I watched, from my doghouse, as the other dogs walked by! I was right! I have lots of human and canine friends. I’ve even been to “obedience class” where I was “easy to train”! It’s funny how that other family said I was difficult to train. I never have to worry about food; I’m always fed… at the same time… every day. (Inside the house, too!) I get lots of hugs. My “mom” sends emails to her friends with silly pictures of me which makes them laugh. I think that’s a good thing, just like when she says I’m a “good girl”. I like the sound of that. I get groomed often and I’ve been to a place called the vet. My family says good medical care is very important! I love to talk. It makes people laugh. I was confused for a while because before, when I talked, people got mad. They said I was “ferocious”. My new family says it’s just who I am. I have learned that I am a Siberian Husky. We are known for being very vocal and love to communicate! I’m so glad that my family understands me!

I am still afraid of shadows, storms, and wind because it reminds me of my past existence, being tied to my doghouse, but those memories are fading and being replaced with new, positive experiences. And guess what? I don’t have a doghouse! My family says we all share one house in this family! I thank god every day for Friends of Plymouth Pound, my foster families, and Iams Home 4 the Holidays for believing in me and giving me a second lease on life.

I have developed a huge fondness for playing in the snow and when I’m done, I love watching it fall from the inside, while I’m lying by the fire with my other canine friends and forever family. So, this is how it’s supposed to be? I like this life much better! So, this is what a “forever home” is!

Thanks to Friends of Plymouth Pound, and Iams Home 4 the Holidays , I am one lucky dog. I hope one day there will be more dogs like me and less dogs like I used to be. That’s why I’m telling my story. I wish this for all my friends waiting to be adopted that they, too, are home for the holidays! I hope to be reading their story next year.    I am home. Forever.

About the author

Rachel Phelps

Rachel Phelps, “America’s Pet Parent,” is an award-winning writer, photographer, and certified dog trainer. She keeps busy managing the career of her Internet celebrity dog Preston from Preston Speaks. Her three Westies — who think they are mini-humans — and three cats rule the house. To learn more about Rachel go to: Rachel Phelps Website

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