So who's this Bella anyway and what's so special about bringing her up?

This is Bella. This picture was taken the first night we brought her home. The best introduction to her I can offer is this story I wrote back in 2008 in response to Janine Allen's "I Rescued A Human Today".

My Bella Saved Me

I lost my 14 y.o. Lab in May and I thought I would never love again - it was too painful. He was a very special dog and a very, very special part of my life. He was there with me when no one else was, he protected me from one who would want to do me harm, I never had to teach him "Come" because he was never "away". Losing him nearly ruined me.

My husband suggested we consider adopting a dog in August because he was "tired" of seeing me cry in the backyard where Beau and I used to sit. I wasn't sure I was up for it. I wasn't sure I wanted another dog - ever. I couldn't bear the pain. But we agreed to just 'go look' at some shelter dogs. We had been to a couple of shelters by the time we went to Buddy Dog Humane Society. I walked through the kennels thinking they were all cute but that none of them were quite 'mine'.

Then I came to one pen where this small, young dog cowered, curled in a little ball at the back of her cage. The name on her sign said "Bella", she was a Sato (street dog) from Puerto Rico. I knelt down and whispered her name. She wiggled her way to me and then, just as in Janine's story, she would tell the story saying "I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship."

That is exactly what she did - she leaned her shoulder against the chain link gate, kissing my fingers and pawing at my hands. The shelter staff said she had never done that and in fact, they had to go in to the back of her cage again to catch her and then carry her out. She would not walk on a leash (she wouldn't walk at all - just huddled, trembling at every sight and sound.) She came home with us the very next day.

Sometimes I still cry missing my beautiful Beau but every time I do, Bella comes and buries her head in my chest, kissing my fingers and looking to play. She makes me smile just thinking about her. She has seen anger, abuse and hunger and she has been afraid but these are all in her past now. As little as she is, she tries to protect me but I promise to protect her. I promise she will never starve again and most of all I promise no one will ever lift a hand to her again.

She saved me. She let me love again.

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So thanks for stopping by for a read. Bella's come a long way from those first days. She's not so little any more. She's also smart as a whip, full of mischief and mostly still scared of her own shadow. But she's still my little sweetheart.

Best,
Les