Theo

There were just four days left until the Topanga Days Parade. I still needed to locate three more dogs, neuter or spay them, place them in a temporary foster and get all this done while working full-time. I decide to take a quick run back to West Valley Shelter. Luckily, I find two cute little dogs there almost immediately. I grab the nearest animal control officer and over the utter din of barking dogs, I yell at him that I want them both. Theo is a handsome, Cairn Terrier mix and thankfully he is already fixed and ready to go. Curly is a sweet, creamy, miniature Poodle and he is not neutered, so he will need to spend one more night at the shelter before being taken to the clinic the next morning for his surgery.

I go to the front desk and fill out the paperwork and pay the $202 for both dogs. As always, I experience a huge rush of joy. I know that I am saving a life and to have the opportunity to do so is a gift I give to myself. The next moment I am I handed a leash with little Theo on the end of it. He looks hopefully up at me. We walk out through a glass door to his freedom. I can sense his excitement as smells the fresh air, hears the birds in the trees and sees the world once again without bars. It is thrilling for both of us!



These photographs are before and after shots of Theo. His body language in the shelter says it all, but the second we get into the car, he gets a big smile on his face. He knows he has just won the doggy lottery and I promise him that he has had his last bad day. I drive him straight to Topanga and drop him off at my sister's house as she has offered to foster him. Her three little boys are excited to be involved and are planning to help us walk the dogs in the parade. They can hardly wait to have little Theo to play with them for a few days. Next, I call Sophie, my youngest daughter and ask her pick up Curly the following afternoon from the clinic. I now have five very lucky dogs, just one more to go.