"My Life has Changed for the Better..." (Customer Submitted Story)

"When I was 3 years old, I was obsessed with my Grandma's dalmatian, Tara. I could not get enough of her until one day, she accidentally scratched me hard and ripped my sweater when she was trying to play. From that moment on, I was terrified of dogs and labeled myself as "not a dog person" well into my adult life. 

Fast forward to a cold December morning in 2011. As my husband (who grew up with at least 1 German Shepherd in his family at all times) was leaving for work, he noticed drivers honking at a young, confused black dog wandering around in the middle of the road in front of our house. He called her over into our driveway and it was as if she couldn't get close enough to him. He took her inside out of the frigid temperatures where I kept my distance. I certainly thought she was adorable, but I was hesitant to get too close. 

She wasn't wearing any tags but she did have on a collar so we assumed that someone must be missing such an adorable little dog. (We later learned that we assumed wrong.) We promptly called animal control so that hopefully she could be reunited with her owners. As the officer put the little dog in the truck a few hours later, my husband teared up a little because he bonded with her in such a short time and he knew he'd likely never see her again. 

Though the thought of having a dog was foreign to me, I couldn't help but notice how much my husband missed having a dog around. We decided to contact animal control and let them know that if she wasn't claimed, we would like to adopt the little stray dog we found. Now it was just up to fate. Of course, no one claimed her during the time frame and as soon as she belonged to the state, she was sent to Lollipop Farm (a fabulous local shelter) with a hold on her stating that she belonged to us! There she was cleaned up, spayed and vaccinated. They told us that she is likely a boxer/pitbull mix and she was approximately 8 months old. 

We named her Pearl- because she is truly as rare and special as a black pearl. Getting used to having Pearl around was truly an educational experience for me, but she weaseled her way into my heart and I fell quickly in love with her. About a year and a half later, we decided that Pearl needed a playmate, so we adopted a 1 and a half yr old white female pitbull/American bulldog mix from another local shelter and we named her Malibu. And just 2 months ago, we took on a 3rd baby- an 8 month old beagle/pitbull mix which we named Kiwi. It amazes me how they each have their own little personalities and how they have so much love to offer. 

These dogs have become our babies, our children....our family. I've become an advocate for these bully breeds and also for all adoptable animals. I no longer cross to the other side of the street when I see someone walking their dog- Instead I approach with a smile and ask if I can pet their dog. My life has changed for the better and heart is bigger now and I have Pearl to thank for it."

Story and photos submitted by Katie Curtis

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