Judy of CJ Valleyview Farms, informed me that she would most likely be getting Angel back from her celebrity home because of issues that could not be resolved by the owners and many trainers. Judy told me she needed to find a home for this girl but it had to be the right home. She wasn't sure what she would find once this girl was returned to her and she couldn't responsibly place her with just anyone. I spoke with a woman I know who had spoken to me about adopting a Shiloh and discussed Angel with her. It was a promising solution. BUT, the more I thought about it, the more I knew it had to be us that she came to live with. I had never met this girl nor was I looking to add another dog, Shiloh or otherwise, in to my home but something about Angel's story and her circumstances made me feel in my heart that she needed to be here. I have many reason's, all personal and private, for calling Judy that Friday (February 24th..an early birthday present for Judy LOL) and telling her that Angel was meant to come here to Michigan to live. Judy's portion of Angel's story is on the ISSDC website (www.shilohs.org)

Fast forward to April 5th when Carl, Judy’s husband, made the trip from PA to MI with Angel:

I opened my front door to Carl and a very tall, 3 legged, extremely underweight female Shiloh who was barking her head off at me. I sat down on my porch and allowed her to approach me on her own. I took one look in to those eyes. The eyes looking back at me would break your heart. She was not an aggressive dog looking for her next victim; she was a lost soul looking for someone to love her unconditionally despite her outward "flaws". She was and is one of the most beautiful dogs I've ever met both inside and out! I gave her time to settle in to our home and meet the rest of the Crew (over the course of a week's time) and before taking her to my vet to be checked out. It was 3 weeks after her arrival and I was shocked at the numbers that appeared on the vets scale. This dog weighed an appalling 67.8 pounds. I knew she had put on at least 10 while she was with us and I'm sure she put some weight on during the week and a half at Judy's. This girl was 40 pounds underweight, considering her size, when she arrived! She was at my vets last week to check her weight and she was up to almost 81 pounds:-); still underweight but we're definitely going in the right direction!

Angel is my family's shadow. Wherever we are, that's where she wants to be. The bond she shares with Bobbie, our son, is amazing; especially considering she has never, to my knowledge, been around many, if any, kids. She and I often meet Bobbie at the bus stop after school. She is patient while he gets off of the bus but very happy and excited to see him (kisses and tail wagging) when he approaches her. Whenever I return home from anywhere, she's one of the first to greet me at the door; bouncing, barking and wagging her tail. I have not seen the "Cujo" that was relayed to Judy by her previous owner but rather a very sweet, loving, playful full-of-energy girl that has fit in to our family like she's always been here. Don't get me wrong, she does have issues: she suffers from separation anxiety, is afraid of loud noises (but getting better), she is selfish with some toys LOL, and she can cut off some serious circulation when she's lying on top of you! BUT she has come a long, long way since she's been here.

I took her to a show in Brookville, Pennsylvania over Memorial Day weekend and showed her in the spay class for one show each day. Everyone could see what a special girl she is and the special bond we all have with each other. For those of you who were fortunate enough to see this "Cujo" go in to the show ring Saturday afternoon in the spay class and see how happy this girl truly is (was there a dry eye from anyone around who was watching her?), it's amazing to see how far she's come considering the neglect she had suffered so recently. Hey, and once she started "gaiting", you couldn't tell she was minus an appendage! The trophy she earned for Best Altered in Show on Saturday means more than acquiring a "thing"; it acknowledges the fact that while a living thing may not mean that much to some people, that same living thing can blossom given the right circumstances and opportunity. She means more to us than many will ever know!

Our eventual goal with Angel is to have her certified as a therapy dog and work with kids and adults who either will be amputees or are recent amputees. I think it would be a great job for her to show people that life does not end because someone may lose a "physical" part. It may take a little while but that is what we're working towards.

So, thank you Judy for giving my family the opportunity to bring Angel in to our family. We couldn't picture life without her and this is where she will always be. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this past weekend's effort to raise money for the ISSDC Rescue fund whether it was by donating items for the auction or purchasing tickets. Know that your efforts, no matter how small or how large, can make a huge impact on other Shilohs, like Angel, who deserve to have that second, or third or whatever chance at finding their forever homes and blessing another family like Angel has blessed ours.

Suzy Graham