It Takes a Village: Several months ago, we received an email from Seiko Maramba, owner of LA PhoDographer, and lover of dogs, especially pit bulls and pit mixes. She and her neighbors had come upon a dog—a female pit mix– in distress in a drain channel. Over the course of a few days, several of the neighbors coaxed the female pit mix over to them, and managed to get a leash on her. They called her “Lucy”.
She was extremely scared and riddled with lumps and bumps. Patty N., one of the neighbors who rescued Lucy, put up up flyers around the neighborhood to see if anyone had lost this dog, and met a woman named Cole Jones, owner of Wuff-Purr Animal Care . Cole offered to foster Lucy and introduced her to Eldad H., who in turn offered to cover Lucy’s medical care if a rescue group would take her. Seiko, a friend of Much Love, contacted us and asked if we would go and meet Lucy at the West LA Shelter, where the neighbors had taken her. When the shelter technician brought Lucy out to meet us, we knew we had to get her medical attention and some care. She was such a sweet shy girl, scared and skinny…and riddled with tumors.
Love Heals: Cole immediately took Lucy in, Eldad agreed to work with Much Love and to pay for all of Lucy’s upcoming medical care. We had her tumors removed and although some of them were benign, some were cancerous, but Lucy’s prognosis was good. She just needed rest and to be kept out of the sun. Foster mom Cole was absolutely marvelous. She tended to Lucy’s every need, taught her leash manners, took her to the vet several times for follow-up visits, and gave her the love she had probably never had before. And all throughout, Patti N. and her neighbors continued ot keep tabs on Lucy and to try to help us find her a forever home.
After a couple of months, Lucy had begun to thrive under Cole’s care and TLC and was ready for adoptions! When Cole brought Lucy to our Sunday adoptions in Santa Monica, the bond between them was evident. As with many of our more sensitive dogs, Lucy did NOT want to be at the adoptions and although she eventually warmed up, was very shy. Cole didn’t leave her side and made sure each adoption Lucy attended was a positive experience. After a few weeks of attending adoptions, we received the following email from Cole:
“I would like to take you up on your offer to adopt Lucy. I have not felt this way about a pup since I lost my Petey 3 years ago. We are both so strongly connected to each other. I love her so very much. We are inseparable. Lucy has has the run of the house. Sleeps in my bed. My niece loves her so much too. She said to me yesterday..”You know how people look like their dog. You and Lucy are the perfect match. You two are the same”. Not sure what that meant…lol All that I can say is I love her.”
We could not have been happier to get this email! Lucy is in the home she was meant to be in, and our foster “failure” Cole has become a great friend of Much Love. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard and cared so much about lovely Lucy.