This narrative is part of the Wondercide March series called The Lucky Ones, stories of rescued animals. But we've discovered that it's us, the humans, who are the lucky ones, indeed.
Carly inherited a house with her brother, and it needed expensive repairs. They discussed the possibilities and eventually decided the best course of action was to move into the house together so they could split the costs of living and the repairs. This took Carly from living a single life to living in a home with two toddlers. Carly wanted to adopt a dog, but perhaps that would have to wait.
The perfect fit
Carly looked occasionally at the biographies posted by animal rescues online. She stumbled across the post about a sweet little pup who was feisty and loveable. Carly thought this biography made it sound like this little pup could withstand the curiosity of her nephews without being terrorized, so she inquired about this pup who was lucky enough to stand out among all the rest. She adopted her and named her Leia.
Once the home repairs were complete, Erik and his family were able to buy Carly out of the house so she could move on to live on her own again. Carly and Leia moved to a nearby apartment. She was happy and excited about the direction her life was taking. Everything was coming together like the pieces of a puzzle.
Puppy love
Not long after Carly and Leia moved, Carly started feeling sick a lot. She had a lingering cough that just never seemed to go away, even after a few trips to the doctor for medication. She felt a fullness in her belly that she couldn’t explain, and she was having difficulty keeping food down.
Carly’s doctor had a lot of difficulty narrowing down what could be causing her illness. She was a healthy 35 year old woman who had never done drugs or smoked, so it just didn’t make sense for her health to suddenly be failing. Carly was frustrated, scared, and depressed – especially when she became too sick to work. She struggled to even get out of bed most days, but Leia was depending on her, so she did.
Eventually, the doctors discovered that Carly was suffering from severe congestive heart failure. Leia helped Carly through her depression with their special walks, and the cuddles she gave lifted Carly’s spirits so she could fight to get well. Carly was able to get the treatment she needed. And as her doctors encouraged her to start exercising and going for more walks, she had the perfect four-legged workout buddy for company.
Carly thought when she found Leia that she was giving a lucky dog a home. But it turned out that Carly was the one who was so lucky to gain a companion who would love her and help her through the most difficult months of her life.
Today, Carly has fully recovered. Leia is 5 years old and continues to provide emotional support and love for her mom, and her mom returns the love, too.
Leia's Pet Peeves
Favorite activity?
Running at the dog park.
Favorite toy?
Anything she can tug on with Mom.
Favorite treat?
Anything with peanut butter flavor.
Favorite petting spot?
She lives for belly rubs!
Favorite napping spot?
Mom's bed.
