When her much loved senior rescue Evie passed suddenly a week ago, Kiara Ovalle was devastated. In a house with three Corgis (Evie’s rascally brothers Max and Mickey) and Buster the cat, Evie had found a soft spot in Kiara’s heart and settled right in.
She’d found a home of her own, a mama nuts about her, and a much needed trip to the dentist to have more than a few teeth pulled. Once she could eat happily again, without any pain, Evie’s new lease on life was complete.
Thanks to Kiara, the last three years Evie’s earthly life were good ones. The kind of years every dog deserves. Bathed in love, content, sure of herself and the world around her. Adored and adoring. Though they didn’t have nearly enough time with one another, their bond grew strong. When Evie died, with very little warning, Kiara found herself in a world of hurt.
Many of us know what that’s like. We all respond in our own ways, wrestling with despair, coping as best we can. For Kiara, this eventually meant getting another Corgi. A senior Corgi who needed her, as Evie had. Another female, if possible.
And the stars aligned, as they sometimes do.
Kiara learned about twelve year-old Annie from the Corgi Rescues of America Facebook page, faithfully viewing the site every day, wistfully searching the faces there for something familiar.
“I came across Annie’s picture and just fell in love with her” recalls Kiara. “She reminded me a lot of Evie. In all her pictures she was smiling.” At the Georgia shelter where she’d been left, Annie was on the Last Chance list. Brought in by her owner, who claimed she couldn’t keep her — the dog she’d had since puppyhood — because she wouldn’t stop digging holes in the yard, Annie’s odds weren’t looking especially good. She was hopeful, though. Like the many thousands of dogs waiting in shelters for their own happy ending.
“Annie’s story and the reason she was surrendered broke my heart. Her age just haunted me. I knew what her eventual fate would probably be. How could I possibly know that and not try to take her? Although I felt I hadn’t done enough for Evie, I wasn’t looking to adopt or foster a dog so soon. I just fell in love with Annie’s pictures and her smile. It’s so unfair, how could someone do that to any living thing?”
“At first, I thought it might be a cover up, but I was proven wrong. Annie’s health condition is amazing. You can tell this dog wasn’t neglected a day in her life, which made me feel even worse. Someone is dumping a perfectly healthy, perfectly taken care of dog in a shelter? That just added insult to injury”.
Kiara got things ready for Annie’s arrival.
After a daylong road trip north to Connecticut, Annie joined her new family. It was a long day. Looooong. But her own bed and new toys sweetened the pot at the end of the interstate.
“Annie is an amazing dog. Very spunky, very cute, and so gentle. She loves people, kids, cats and dogs. There’s not an aggressive bone in her body”.
“If I ever start a rescue, I would call it God’s Waiting Room Rescue. Days like these make me wish I had money. That’s the downside of getting my sweet seniors — those vet bills!”
Happy new life together, Kiara and Annie! You both deserve it.
Corgi On, loves!
What a very sweet rescue story. How heartbreaking knowing Annie's former owner got ride of her at the age of 12. I can't imagine how traumatized she was. I'm glad you found her, Kiara.
Good for you! what a great story….