Dog's Name While at the Shelter
Millie

Date of Adoption
September 2015

Pet's Story or Bio
When Lady (Millie) came to MAMAS, she was extremely fearful. She escaped several times; the last time while at the vets office for her spay surgery. Traps were set, food set out, but she eluded all attempts to catch her. She was only caught after a car hit her. Surgery was done on her leg, but it was becoming clear to the shelter staff that, because of her fearfulness, she might not be adoptable.

To give her one last chance, MAMAS allowed us to foster Lady. When she came to us, Lady was scared, ran away when approached, and kept herself almost solely confined to her kennel. Our plan was to serve as a short-term foster hoping to bring her out of her shell. With lots of patience, love, one-on-one time reassuring her that she had nothing & no one to fear in our home, she learned to trust again, that it's okay to be silly, to play and to run with her 'siblings'. After several months of fostering, as she grew to trust us and we fell in love with her happy spirit she slowly allowed us to see, we adopted Lady. Fostering this amazing girl allowed her to thrive, to trust again and to receive and even to give affection. Her eyes found their sparkle again & her face still lights up as she literally smiles when you call her name or pet her. She is happy and so are we as she greets us with her BIG dance and a smile.

Fostering saved our Lady's life and continues to add so much joy to ours. Dogs like Lady have a difficult time thriving in a shelter environment. Their personalities - like Lady's smile, her laugh, her dance - remain hidden beneath the fear and distrust they often feel after being abused or abandoned or face the strange noises and confines of even the safest shelters. - Hank & Pamela Hughes