Who rescued Who?

by Mary H
(Salt Lake City, UT)

I happened to be looking for a small to medium sized dog when I sought out the Utah Animal Adoption Center that has a no kill policy. They saved Trudy from the city shelter on the day she was scheduled to be euthanized. I met with the UAAC personnel stating my desire to have a forever companion and they showed me their area for small dogs. I observed about 15 dogs barking and wagging their tails at the kennel person who was feeding them, all but one, Trudy. Trudy at the time was 4 years old, I was told she was a "designer dog" bred in a puppy mill and sold as a novelty basically. She was put in the kill shelter and labeled a "child biter" by her owners of 4 years. When I looked in the medium sized dog pen area at the good no kill shelter Utah Animal Adoption Center, Trudy stood in a corner shaking and shivering (as most chihuahua mixes do) and she was protecting her too small for her body little foam doughnut bed looking so pathetic. I asked to meet Trudy and they took me to a secure quiet large meet and greet room away from all other distractions. Trudy ran into the room like a bolt of lightening, grabbed a little ball and brought it to me waiting for me to play fetch with her. She ran, leaped and gave me lots of kisses. Her liquid brown eyes and her eagerness to please were the first things I noticed about her. They told me the previous owners labeled her a child biter and not to adopt her if I had children in the home. I noticed it looked like someone had broken her tail in half and I thought to myself, I bet a kid did that and that is why she bit him or her.

I told the UAAC personnel I had a very loving English bulldog at home and a husband who occasionally bites. (haaaa!) just kidding about my husband he is so loving, especially to dogs! I could see the Boston Terrier in her, the sleek coat, the sinewy muscles, the eyes, the color pattern. The chihuahua part was her size, about 12 lbs., and a short muzzle wider due to the Boston influence. But the muzzle makes it easier to breathe, just ask my poor smashed faced Bulldog! Long story short...these owners who had tired of their designer dog when she outgrew puppyhood, were willing to give her a death sentence by fabricating the lie that she was a child biter! These types of people should never be allowed to own a dog. After I brought her home I took her to my vet who found that she had 4 slab fractures of her upper and lower molars. They suspected she clamped down on a very hard object like a pipe or broom handle, again, I think the poor thing was abused by the owners or their children. Since the moment I brought Trudy home, she has been the ultimate little loving companion. I have 5 grandchildren and Trudy has NEVER even shown any hint of wanting to bite them or anyone. She has been with us for 3 years now and couldn't be a more perfect traveling companion or dear friend to everyone in the family, including our big bulldog. She does love to boss us around, can't tell if that's a Boston trait or a chihuahua trait! I have attached a few photos of our little girl.