When you are driving around town, you may see bumper stickers that say ‘who saved who?’ Those bumper stickers are from individuals who saved an animal from a rescue shelter and they realize that the dogs bring much more to them than they could ever bring to the dog. Perhaps that is how Lia Domingo felt when she went to an animal shelter to rescue a pitbull. She knew that she would be getting much more than she could ever give in return and I’m sure her heart was full that day.
What she wasn’t expecting when she got to the Augusta Animal Services Shelter in Georgia was a surprise. She had gone there on behalf of The Pixel Fund to rescue Peety the pitbull. When she got there, however, the executive director of The Pixel Fund in Georgia, Deborah Kirkland asked her if she would mind rescuing another dog. It was a one-year-old corgi mix named Penny, and I would have to say that it was love at first sight. It’s one of those moments that I’m sure Lia is going to remember for the rest of her life.
“She [Kirkland] heard that there was a dog named Penny with a hurt eye, and none of the local rescues had any interest in helping her,” Domingo said.
Domingo didn’t hesitate, she went to meet Penny as soon as she got to the shelter.
“When I saw her, it just broke my heart because she was very scared and not very receptive,” Domingo said. “She was very nervous. She didn’t even want to look at me the first day. She just cowered.”
Domingo expected to leave with one dog but she left for Sparta, Georgia with two dogs in the car. She was going to meet Dedee Nystrom, who was another volunteer that was taking over. When the shelter called Domingo and asked her to come back, she learned that Peety needed to be returned because his family had called, saying they would take the dog again.
Domingo got in touch with Kirkland and Kirkland said that both dogs could be back in the shelter for the night. That way, Domingo could drive to Sparta on the following day instead of making two trips, just in case Peety’s family didn’t follow through.
Domingo didn’t want to leave Penny but she made a promise to her.
“I gave her a kiss and whispered in her ears, ‘Don’t worry, Penny. You know we’re going to be back. We won’t let you down. I promise,’” Domingo said.
Peety did reunite with his family but Penny was alone at the shelter. Domingo returned for her the next day and when she went back to her kennel, the dog was so excited.
“She was a totally different dog,” Domingo said. “She just wanted to hug me. She even wagged her tail. And I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, it’s me — you remember me.’”
When Penny got into Domingo’s car, she jumped up into her arms like she was ready to hug her.
“She put her little arms around me and wouldn’t let me go … she knew she was finally safe,” Domingo said.
“I had a cry,” Domingo added. “When a dog trusts you that much, it just fills your heart.”
All Penny wanted to do was cuddle during the drive to Sparta.
“I had to drive with one hand because she would whine, like she was saying, ’Pet me, pet me,’” Domingo said.
Domingo gave Penny to Nystrom in Sparta and they went straight to the veterinarian. Not only did Penny have the injured eye, she had heartworm disease.
Penny is now doing very well and she is going to be up for adoption when she’s a little bit healthier, Kirkland told The Dodo. Penny is also known by a different name now, Chloe Olivia.
“She got her freedom ride and it was just beautiful,” Domingo said.
“Even though we did not get to save the pit bull … he was put in our path so that we would find out about Chloe Olivia — aka Penny — and save this little girl who is just as deserving of a new family and a new life,” Kirkland said. “In rescue we always say, ‘Everything happens for a reason.’”
Source: The DoDo