TGIF!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But most important Happy Gotcha Day to Angel Layla.
Dear Layla,
I was so proud to be your mom, to be able to keep you healthy and happy but most important of all am so blessed to have had you in my life. You taught me so much and I was so blessed.
I am once again going to share your Gotcha Story here so that others will realize rescuing is so worth it and that is why I speak out for rescues, as like you, they all need a home with a warm bed to sleep on, and that is why I opened my home and heart to Nili.
I remember when your sister (Baby) passed away, I waited about 6 weeks and then decided my home was too empty without the pitter patter of paws, so the search was on. I ran around to all the shelters in the city but could not find a little fluffy at the time, which is what I wanted.
So, Uncle Michael introduced me to Aunt Cindy by email, told me that he would be in LA for a week so I had a week to search online for a new fur kid and he would bring her home to me.
I sat 24/7 on Petharbor and Petfinder and was nearly giving up when I saw you sitting in a cage in the Carson Shelter. Your look on your face said to me take me home. I immediately emailed Aunt Cindy with your information and photo and she went to the Shelter on Saturday to fetch you for me. I remember her calling me from there telling me she had a smelly matted mess kissing her, that sealed the deal.
You arrived on Sunday evening, the 31st of January 2011, I had got the house ready for you, bought you a new pink bed and was so excited. Yes, you were smelly and dirty, but I did not care as there are washing machines for laundry, and for me what was important was you were finally home, safe and sound with a nice warm bed.
Your dumping papers said you had been an outdoor dog; you bit when groomed and in a nutshell, everything negative a person can say and OH what a lie. You are the opposite. I am ashamed to even say what your name was.
I waited a couple of days and then met a friend of mine, a vet, Dr. Phil in the dog park, he looked at you, checked you and said I had won, and he was so right.
During your first couple of days you slept and ate, I had to teach you to climb the stairs, potty outside and am proud to say you had an accident inside. You did no damage, and I did not crate you as I do not believe in crates but as far as I remember you chewed a tissue LOL.
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You overcame your fear of men, your fear of so many things but with love and patience we did it together and you succeeded and we did many adventures together, you riding in your backpack, went to different lakes, different events in San Francisco, and our life was full of fun.
You came a long way Layla, 13 wonderful years with me, we moved, you became one of the most happiest waggy tail dogs I know, friendly, full of love and I could not have asked for anything more.
As you grew older with me, Mom is growing older too, I could not ask for a better way to grow old but with you, you made me laugh, shower me with unconditional love, and even when you were naughty I giggle as it is so seldom. In your last years when you lost your sight, ability to walk, you still loved to be outdoors, sniffing around, riding in your stroller like a princess, nothing stopped you. Your last birthday last year is something I will never forget especially when you got into mischief finding your Uncles pocket of his jacket to search for your favorite chicken jerky but in the end unravelling the roll of poop bags all over the floor. We all had a good laugh and you wagged your tail, then went and lay down and went to sleep.
Napping at her birthday party
She loved riding in her backpack
Thank you for rescuing me Layla, Mommy is so proud of you, so blessed to have shared my bed with you and most of all, Mommy loves you very much and misses you daily.
Happy Gotcha Day Sweetheart over the Rainbow Bridge, my Lullybelle (her nickname) and I promise you are always with me in my heart, I miss you terribly and I know you would have loved Nili, thank you for sending her to me.
Hugs and lots of love Mom
I can honestly say Online Love Affairs do exist.
Thanks for sharing the sweet story of her gotcha day. It is a great reminder of how important animal rescue is.
Lorie you are so correct and that is why I will keep sharing hers plus Nilis this year as we need to remind people to adopt not shop and open their hearts and homes to rescues, thank you
That was such an amazing Gotcha story of sweetest Layla and we’ll always remember your sweetie in our hearts too. Happy Gotcha Day sweet Angel Layla. Thanks for joining Angel Brian’s Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!
Brian thank you for your kind words and especially for your Thankful Thursday Blog Hop as it always makes me smile to read about your cats and share our lives with you. I am sure Angel Brian is playing with Layla over the Rainbow Bridge
What a lovely tribute to Layla! She certainly was meant to be your fur kid. You two were a perfect match. You both learned so much from each other and made the other better. I always loved reading about her weekly adventures. I can’t believe how much she looks like a Henry sibling in the last photo. Darling pup! And now, Nili gets to carry on her sister’s legacy with you. I know Layla is still nudging and barking at you and telling Nili what to do and not do. Thank you for continuing to honor Layla’s Gotcha Day! I always love seeing her photos (and Nili’s photos). Henry says Nili needs a cookie.
Terri thank you so much for your kind words and I think it is so important to celebrate her Gotcha Day as she was my teacher in so many ways, we were quite a couple and I miss her daily although Nili has taken over her legacy and I am sure Layla would be proud of her. Please tell Henry he is going to make Nili fat LOL with all the cookies and he needs one too from us xx
Sweet Miss Layla…it was so good to see her pics and read her story. She is so missed, and what a lucky girl to have been rescued by you, and rescued you! Sending you big hugs on her special Gotcha Day. Know she is always with you, forever in your heart. <3. Pinning to share her story.
Dorothy thank you so much and yes I was blessed to have her in my life and share her with you and so many others, she is sorely missed but I am also at peace that she is not suffering anymore over the Rainbow Bridge, she is forever in my heart xxx
Awww, what a great way to remember Layla on her special day. Our two pups who crossed the rainbow bridge have their birthdays coming up in March. The birthdays were only 3 days apart so we frequently threw a big celebration for both of them! It’s good to remember the happy times.
Tiffany thank you and I agree we need to remember the good times as they were very much part of our lives, Layla was very special and I am so blessed to have had her as part of my life and spent such wonderful years with her, she was an angel.
I love Layla’s story. You gave her the best life any dog could have! It’s amazing how far she came, it just shows what real love can do. Happy Gotcha Day in heaven, sweet Layla
Thanks Cathy and her story is very special to me, I was so blessed to have her in my life and it is true, unconditional love goes a long way.