I recently learned the story of Sarah Kells. She was a married woman with four rescue pups, all seniors. Sarah and her husband divorced. Over time all the dogs went to the Bridge except for Chloebelle a Bichon.
Chloebelle’s angel siblings began to search for a new pup for their mom but were hoping they could locate a dog who could do much more. They were looking for the right dog to redefine their mom’s life. The angels directed her to a shelter and then to a pup who had been used for breeding purposes. Sarah decided the Bichon with one eye would be the new pack member, as her angels had hoped. Chloebelle and her mom both got decked out to make an impression on the person conducting the home visit.
The home visit went swimmingly. Sarah was given an address where she could pick up her new dog, who she planned to call Willamena. When she arrived at the rescue, she was picturing a little white ball of love awaiting her. What she got was a thin, urine covered dog who trembled at every sound. Sarah could not go back on her commitment, but she was afraid she had made a terrible error.
Instead, on the ride home, Sarah decided to devote her time to discover what happened to Willamena, while giving her all the love she had in her heart. This is precisely what her angels wanted to happen: For their mom to have a new focus in her life.
When Sarah was not providing care for Willamena, she was researching puppy mills on the Internet. She was stunned by what she saw. How could people treat the souls who were devoted to them so cruelly? All the things that she thought were vital before she met Willamena were no longer essential to her now. She dedicated her life to righting the wrongs done by her fellow humans. She started by volunteering to foster dogs from the rescue that had saved Willamena.
Since then, she has fostered more than 150 puppy mill dogs while officially adopting another 13. She knew her neighbors thought she was a mad dog lady, but they still aided her when they could, knowing her heart was pure.
Recently Willamena, the dog who started it all, passed to the Bridge. In time she had become a perfect pet, giving her mom love and support. When she arrived here, Willamena was thrown one of the largest parties we have witnessed at the Bridge. So many dogs would never have known love in their life did, thanks to Sarah, who either fostered them or welcomed them into her pack, with Willamena as her inspiration.
Willamena moved into a mansion with her angel siblings who had told their mom to adopt the one-eyed urine covered dog and gave Sarah the courage to take Willamena home, the first domino to fall that would leave to hundreds of dogs being saved.
They are hard at work right now, finding new dogs for their wonderful mom. The saved has become the savior, just the way it is meant to be.
Willamena was such a wonderful force for good, bravo girl.
ReplyDeleteWe are very lucky also not to be puppy mill pups. We feel very badly for any dog who has to endure the horrors of that life. Thank dogness for people like Sara. Those Angels did very well in letting Willamena find that forever and loving home.
ReplyDeleteWoos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber
This story really touched my heart. Our latest rescue dog, a tiny Yorkie we named Bella, came from a puppy mill in Miami where she was used as a breeder dog her entire life and lived in a cage. The mill was closed and the breeder dogs were rescued by various rescues in the area. Bella came to us as a frightened little Yorkie who was never given a name and who lived her entire life in a dirty cage. In the four months she has been with us, she has really blossomed into a very loving, beautiful little Yorkie with floppy ears (as her ears were never trained to stand up). Thank you for this beautiful story about Willamena.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. Love the sorry.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful story! We learned about the horrors of puppy mills through Harley, who, in 2015 became the hero dog of the year for his work rescuing puppy mill dogs and bringing awareness about them. Hee was a ten year old Chihuahua who was used as a breeder, lost an eye to the power washer, then was rescued by national mill dog rescue in Colorado.
ReplyDeleteWon't say what I think should be done to puppy mill owners.
ReplyDeleteFortunately all the cockers who have lived in this house, including me, were gotten from reputable breeders. Miss Ginger's dad was a big show winner. It's sad that puppy mills still even exist.
ReplyDeleteA puppy mill dog was dumped at my office years ago, and I was appalled at the condition of the poor pup. Thankfully, my rescue groups contacts quickly found a foster, and the dog was adopted after rather substantial veterinarian work.
ReplyDeletepuppy mills snd cat hoarders are a nightmare. It's beyond comprehension how any human being could be so extraordinarily cruel. How they can live with themselves? And how can they sleep at night? And live with no conscience or love in their heart...how can they ever be anything but 100% miserable.
ReplyDeleteOh dear me...I have some neighbors who have two precious puppy mill rescues...both long haired dachshunds. They are thriving and full of sass now
ReplyDeleteHugs Cecilia
This is a wonderful story of a pup and a rescuer helping all those other pups so much. Rosie was a puppy mill mom, who know how many litters she had before the place was shut down.
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