Adopter Name

Leslie Stidham

Rescue Dog’s Name

Flower

Where Did You Find Your Dog?

I was contacted by a dog rescue networker regarding a little chi in her 11th hour in the Los Angeles Harbor Animal Shelter, located out of San Pedro, CA. She was on the euth list and next in line to be killed, what we label CODE RED. She was out of options. BUT there was a Rescue out of Orange Co. -Gone To The Dogs Rescue Inc – that was willing to take her in if someone would step up to foster. (Fosters are so important in saving the lives of these animals!) I looked at her picture and saw this frightened, scrawny tiny 5 month old girl, who had fallen victim to the ”plain tan chihuahua syndrome” , which is almost a death sentence for the no. 2 breed to be killed in LA.. She looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders and she was just a baby. Her intake picture wasn’t great, and it made me sad to see her getting overlooked, passed over for the more glamorous looking dogs. She had been in the shelter for 3 mos at that point, which was a small miracle in an LA Shelter. A volunteer had fallen in love with her and named her Flower. I believe that person is who pulled some strings and kept her alive for that long, hoping someone would see the beautiful delicate flower that she actually was. No one did. She was out of chances. No more time allotted. So I stepped up. I fostered her for a couple months before I became a ”foster failure”. Flower became a permanent member of our family in 2012.

Tell Us About the Moment When You Knew that You Two Were Meant for Each Other.

Flower just grew on us all. She was even best friends with one of my cats. She just brought so much life to the house. I have two other dogs and when she was gone for adoption events they would mope…something was missing. The last adoption event I met up with the transporter to take her to Orange Co., and Flower looked at me like she was scared she was never going to see me again. And on the way home I was scared too. I knew I wasn’t going to let anyone adopt her at that point. She was ours.

How Has Your Hero Changed Your Life?

Flower has taught us so much. Watching her go from this scared untrusting little girl and blossom into this cheerful, unconditional loving, life of the party FLOWER. It is inspiring. She tries so hard to be everyone’s best friend. She is so grateful and we can feel that everyday. Flower has taught us the kind of humility, patience and real appreciation for life that only a rescue can. She brings my other dogs (and cats) excitement and joy, just as she does us. She makes us all smile. I cannot imagine our lives without her. You could say she is lucky to have made it out of the shelter alive, but when you rescue an animal you really realize how lucky YOU are to have them and experience all they have to give and teach you everyday. They truly are a gift.