This weekend G sent me a photo of Stevie on the day she gave birth to her 7 puppies.  She looked ready to pop.  She followed it up with a recent photo I had sent her of Stevie frolicking on her king…I mean, our king bed. She captioned the photos, “what a transformation.”  The sad thing is that the before photo was taken after Stevie had been off the street getting love, care and regular meals for a month.  The physical transformation is remarkable, but the love she has brought to our home is immeasurable.

Puppies and kittens are the easiest things to fall in love with.  They are tiny, little balls of fur who just want to be held.  They eat, play and sleep and they’re adorable.  People line up for days for puppies and kittens.

Dogs and cats that are full-grown can be more difficult to adopt out.  They come with a history and some baggage that not everyone wants to take a chance on.  I will fully admit that when we found Stevie I wasn’t looking for another dog.  In fact, I am reminded often of how much of a protest I put up about bringing the dog back to the house.  I just kept thinking about all the things that could be wrong with her.  Being pregnant wasn’t even on my list!  She was scared, malnourished, pregnant and filthy.  Not exactly the combination of traits anyone is looking for in a pet much less when your aren’t looking for one!  All that being said, we fell in love with her gentle spirit in less than 24 hours.  She had a way of looking at you that immediately touched your soul.  I know that sounds dramatic, but she still looks at us like she is trying to tell us something.  Then she quietly crawls up your chest and lays her head on your shoulder and you know she is forever grateful to be part of a family.

Our story is like so many others who have rescued cats and dogs.  It doesn’t just transform the animal that you adopt, but it changes you as well.  The same year that we brought Stevie home, a woman I follow on Instagram, Ashley Hackshaw, also brought a dog home.  This dog was 14 years old and had multiple ailments.  They named her Happy because she truly was so happy to find her forever home no matter how much time she had left.  You can check out her Instagram story at @happythehappiestdog.

Happy lived in their home for 251 days before she passed.  Ashley and her family fell hard for this dog.  They not only opened their home, but their hearts in way that they will never be the same. This story will make you weep for days and you will want to go to your local shelter immediately to adopt the most unlikely pet you can find.

You can find love in all kinds of ways and in all kinds of pets. Keep your mind and your heart open to the possibilities. I promise you that these little balls of fur won’t be the only ones transformed.