05/30/2026
🐾 When I Knew My Heart Belonged to Rescue 🐾
These photos are more than 20 years old. I was just around 19 years old when I bought this little bulldog puppy, named him "Tater". What I didn't know at the time was that he had . The breeder sold him to me and disappeared from existence. Within days, my life became vet visits, sleepless nights, heartbreak, and thousands of dollars in medical bills. Most people probably would've called me crazy. I was young, didn't have much money, and every trip to the vet seemed more expensive than the last. But giving up on him was never an option.
What makes these photos even more special is that, within a few months of them being taken, I survived a violent home invasion. During the attack, while a grown man was attacking me, this little dog fearlessly tried to protect me. He went after the attacker's leg until they locked him in the bathroom.
I was terrified for myself, but even more terrified for him. Thankfully, he wasn't harmed. I'll never forget that moment. The dog I fought so hard to save turned around and tried to save me.
That little taught me one of the most important lessons of my life: Animals don't get to choose the people who fail them... but we get to choose whether we help them.
What started with one sick puppy became something much bigger than I ever imagined. Over the years, that journey has led me to open my animal rescue in 2014, rescue more than 600 animals, and dedicate a huge part of my life to giving animals the second chances they deserve.
Trails To Happy Tails wasn't built overnight. It began with one little bulldog, one even more stubborn.... aka determined 19-year-old girl, and a promise:
If I can help an animal, I will. Some animals leave paw prints on your heart. Others change the entire direction of your life. ❤️🐾
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