Want a dog’s-eye view of why they call it Leap Day and not extra day or something like that?

I have a theory. As three-legged dog, I’m familiar with the physical act of leaping. But after the past six months, I also know a thing or two about metaphoric leaping. See, I think Leap Day is all about taking a leap of faith.

When I first met Craig, I couldn’t leap. In fact, you could say that I was a hot mess. I was admitted to the Oakland Animal Services shelter with facial lacerations, a cracked tooth and a broken leg. My leg had already set improperly and I wasn’t able to walk on it, so I just dragged it beneath me. (I don’t remember what happened to me, but everyone thinks I was hit by a car.)

Then I heard the news: My leg needed to be amputated. Yikes! Wary of my future, all I had at this point was my hope for a willing foster home.

Two days after surgery, I met Craig at Maddie’s Fund^®.

I knew what I was up against. Craig and his wife, Regan, were cat people. They’d never had a dog, let alone fostered a “special needs” dog (that’s what I was called now). They’d talked about the possibility of a dog, but Regan wasn’t entirely sold. She’d always considered herself a cat person and felt like a dog was more work than she was willing to put in.

My chances weren’t looking too good, were they?  Wrong! When Craig told her I just needed a foster for a day or two, she figured this would be a great chance to take the leap and test it out.

When I got to their house that first night, I fell in love. I had to quickly turn on the charm to make sure I never left. “Here goes nothing!” I thought. Win over the cat? Check. Accidents in the house? No way. Act like an angel in my crate? You got it. Be a “constant source of entertainment and positivity in the house”? My pleasure (and their words!).

Needless to say, I soon became a permanent member of the family. They named me Esther. I now get around better on three legs than I ever did with four. I feel like the luckiest dog in the world. I’m here to tell you that if you’ve been considering adding to your family, or if you just need a little love and positivity in your life, all you have to do is take a leap.

That’s what Craig and Regan did with me. They took a leap of faith. They took a chance and fostered a three-legged shelter pup. #ThanksToMaddie, we all landed better than we could have imagined.

Ready to take a leap and adopt? Visit theshelterpetproject.org to find your very own Esther! Already adopted? Tell us what inspired you to take the leap on our Facebook page!

Don’t miss the rest of our great content — sign up here!