There is something magical about adopting an animal who has been to hell and back in their short life.

Our story started in 2023, when we adopted Skye, formerly known as Love. Neither my husband nor I were new to adopting dogs, we both had experienced the joy of taking in an unwanted pup a time or two, but this was our first time adopting one together. We also have two young children, so making the choice to adopt a grown dog who likely had experienced significant trauma was a bit nerve wracking for me to be honest. How on earth were we supposed to pick a pup from a picture, not to mention most of them were 1400+ miles away from Minnesota where we live which meant we wouldn’t be able to meet the pup beforehand.

So, as apprehensive as I was, once we came across the photo of “Love” on the rescue website, all of that uncertainty dissipated. When we saw her tiny emaciated body (she had a body score of 1) and those big brown desperate eyes, it felt like she was peering right through the photo at us. We knew the very moment we saw her online that we needed her just as much as she needed us.

Our experience with the Rescue Coop was nothing short of amazing. All those involved in this intricate process are true heroes. They give absolutely everything they have for these animals and we will be forever grateful for that.

Skye & Piper’s Story

We knew we needed to do everything we could to help her. After failed attempts of contacting the shelter to get her out on our own without the backing of a rescue agency, we contacted the Rescue Coop to get some guidance on how to go about the situation. We were hopeful that we would be able to get this poor girl to safety. She only had 1 day left before she’d be euthanized according to the shelter website as she was being held in a high kill shelter.

The Rescue Coop went above and beyond, contacting the shelter on our behalf. By the grace of God, Kathy was able to get the shelter to allow the pup one more day so a rescue transport could be arranged to pick her up. On September 17th, 2024 our sweet Piper was free. She has a long road ahead of her. She is a pretty sick girl, but we believe that with lots of love, the right medicines and a safe place to rest her head that she will recover.

Today we are preparing for the holidays; the girls will have their own stockings hung.

They are enjoying the Minnesota snow and love running free together. Warm snuggles and cuddle time with the children are favorite parts of their days, besides treat time.

The unconditional love they exhibit day in and day out is remarkable. They don’t judge us for our shortcomings. They know exactly how to comfort us in the most difficult moments and they are forever thrilled to see us when we walk through the door.

Their pasts are written all over their bodies; they are scarred and have physical disabilities as a result of their earlier years, but none of that slows them down today. Skye and Piper are a daily reminder for us that despite the hardships we face, we must keep our hearts open and never lose hope. These girls are the true meaning of love.

Fast forward several weeks later to when our girl Skye (Love) was healthy enough to make the trip to Minnesota to join our family. Seeing those big eyes in person was incredible.

Her eyes have always stood out to me, they still do too. They are the most magnificent amber color. She leaped out of the transport vehicle and happily collapsed into the grass with our children, inviting all the pets and belly rubs she could get while giving constant kisses, almost as if she were saying “Thank you!” It's like she knew she was home, that we were going to be her forever family. She connected immediately with the children, she adores them. Still today, she is happiest when snuggled in with them on the couch or in bed or outside running around in the yard with them while they play. Skye has become an important part of our family. She loves car rides and staying in hotels. She took her first trip out to the Black Hills of South Dakota and had her picture taken in front of Mount Rushmore. Anytime we are out and about she gets so much attention from people.

I’m happy to say though that this is not where our story ends. A year and a half later after welcoming Skye into our family, my husband was scanning the shelter websites again. We were not “in the market” for another four legged family member mind you, but once again it was as if the world stopped, and staring back at us was the saddest girl. The look of defeat on her face is something I’ll never forget. There was just something about her, that longing look in her eyes, or maybe it was the fact that she didn’t even have a name. She was known at the shelter as “A2215902”. They couldn’t even give her a name, it was like she didn’t matter.