Today is Joy’s 4th Birthday. She, along with our cat Safari, is the light of our lives. She is always smiling, always happy. She truly lives up to her name in every way. Though she had a rough start in that puppy mill, it just shows how trusting and amazing dogs are and can be with the right set of circumstances. By the time we got her she was near two years old. Here we are 2 years later and she could not be a more pampered or loved little girl. She eats better than most people, sleeps wherever she wants and goes with me everywhere. She is an adventure-seeker, squirrel herder and cat lover. The relationship between man/woman and dog is truly a special one. Though I am not an overtly religious person , it really makes sense that God is dog spelled backwards, now doesn’t it? Happy Birthday little Joy. I love you so…
Today was my first Christmas so I get to write about it! My mom loves my name, Joy. I do too because it is a happy name and I am a very happy dog person, especially since getting adopted by my folks.. They are the best people for me in whole world. I feel so lucky that Victoria, my grandma and rescue hero, named me Joy because I think that started me onto a happy, positive path that someday I would get adopted.
I was a special dog because I did not just want to be with just anyone.. I had been through quite a lot and I needed to trust that I was going to get into a very special place and if I had to wait I would. Mom has told me of her dog named Bailey (www.baileysjournal.com) that she adopted and loved very much but went over the Rainbow Bridge and after the many months of crying she got up the courage to look around www.petfinder.com and there she found my picture and was smitten. She told me that what Grandma Summers wrote about me moved her so much, she just knew she was going to call about me. That was in February of this year. I had to wait until they returned to town in the Springtime and I was adopted the day before Mother’s Day! Is that not perfect? Now here it is 7 months later and not only do I have two homes, I love my brother cat, and never have to ut my paws into snow…ALSO…..I just celebrated my FIRST CHRISTMAS today!
It was fantastic. Mom decorated the tree with pink and white lights cause I love pink and so does she and we got lots of presents and I had home-cooked meals and I played with Angel and Zoe, my neighbor dogs.
My wish for Christmas is that many more dogs and cats be adopted. I had a friend at Indian Summers Border Collie rescue named Shawn. I really want him to find a home in the new year. He was my playmate but no one is adopting him. He needs a special person like I did. Please someone find Shawn – that is my wish! He is so sweet! That is what I wanted to say. I am very grateful for my life and for finding a forever home this year. As we approach 2013, I want more dogs to find good, loving homes. I love mine so much. I just wanted to say Merry Chrismas everyone just because it is the first time I have been able to say it! WOOF!
You never forget the day you adopt a dog. It’s so exciting, yet you wonder, will she like us? Will she want to leave the rescue home she is in now? Will she look at y ou and say with her eyes and soul, “sure I will go with you.”
It’s only been five months since Joy joined our world and we joined hers. I am so amazed by a dog’s ability to trust even after being harmed by humans in many cases, including hers. Joy was not physically abused, but she was neglected in the horrific Amish Puppy mill in which she was born and her puppies were taken away much too soon, causing her to have some fears, but they are dissipating very quickly because she is surrounded by love. She was lucky to be at Indian Summers Border Collie Rescue (www.indiansummers.org) for a year before we came along. Each day she gets better. At first sight, she still likes females better than males, except her daddy, of course – she loves the kisses out of him everyday…
If it were not for the many wonderful rescue organizations out there, it would be nearly impossible to have as many dogs, cats and other animals find good homes with the right people. I cannot say enough about people who are on the rescue end in the process of adoption. It takes so much dedication, care and most of all time ,to do right by these furry people with whom we choose to share our lives.
Joy is so grateful for the life she has now. Everyday she learns and see new things that she had not been exposed to before. She is such a puppy and watching a dog or a cat learn is so much fun and there is not a day that goes by that she does not make us laugh and smile. October 28th marks the day our Bailey crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. Her blog, www.baileysjournal.com has happily for me, become an inspiration for many people all over the world. Bailey promised me that she would find us the perfect girl when the time was right and, as always, Bailey was on target, like a true Border Collie–focused and strong-willed. We even were amazed that her name was Joy. Bailey knew how sad we (especially me) were and she needed to get our Joy back for us, literally and figuratively.
We could not be happier to have been lucky enough to be led toward finding Joy because she lights up a room and truly lives up to her name. Hands or paws, all anyone wants is to love and be loved. Joy, without a doubt, you are.
Joy's Tale 