A little dog who found her home at last shares the true meaning of Christmas Spirit!
Is it tough to have the Christmas spirit? Do you sometimes feel a little blue this time of year?
If you had asked me this last year, I could have said yes. No one would have blamed me. Waiting months for a home can do that to a dog. But not me. My name is Spirit, and I was not giving up!
That’s why I’m here now — to spread that same message to you! Take it from a “longest-standing dog,” magical things CAN happen this time of year. Whether you’re a pup who’s been waiting for that perfect person to take you home, or you’re a person who feels something might be missing this time of year, I hope this helps.
My story dates back to May 2014 when I was brought into the Maddie’s® Adoption Program. I was named Spirit after “my lovely and sweet spirit.” People also said I was really good at lifting spirits, so I guess it had several meanings.
From what I could tell, I was a pretty good catch. I was young, house-trained, I loved to snuggle, I loved kids and other pets. Making people smile was my favorite. There was just one tiny thing — Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia — which sounds scary but basically meant my immune system was attacking my red blood cells. No one’s perfect though, right?
A few months went by, and I was still on the search. I switched fosters a few times to get more exposure. My friends at Maddie’s Fund® wrote nice words about me and shared me all over that web thing. No matter what we did, it seemed no one wanted a cute, easy-going pup who just needed a little medicine each day.
The holiday season quickly approached. It had been a long-time waiting, but I knew I couldn’t lose hope. The days crept closer to Christmas. I did my best to lift the spirits of everyone I met. It wasn’t until the 20th that I finally met them.
Yes, them. The people I’d been waiting for. A family of my very own, who loved me for me. To top it off, I was going to have two kid sisters and a sibling dog. A Christmas miracle!
Maybe this was my purpose all along. I was meant to spread Christmas Spirit! To brighten someone’s life during a time when they need it most. To bring joy to a family. To show that dogs with treatable medical conditions make wonderful companions. To prove that just when you feel like giving up, good things can happen.
My name is Spirit, after all, and this is the season to spread it.
Looking for your own Christmas Spirit? Check your local shelter or rescue for someone who will bring you joy all year long!
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