STELLA ROSE's GOTCHA DAY

( Mom and mine favorite picture taken two years ago)

August is my Gotcha Day Month and Mom has been so busy we haven't even had time to celebrate it or take new pictures.  Momma said we would get that done this weekend.  She promised me if it is cooler outside we would go to the Lake together, just her and me, and look for signs of fall.  That is my best present, time with just mom.

 How I came to live with Mom and Dad is important to me, because that was the day that Mom became aware of Puppy Mills and how evil they can be.  From that day on, all the pugs that have lived with me, have came from an awful mill, so that always is special in my heart.  Mom has told me and my siblings that is ALWAYS important to remember that we are not victims but survivors who have made a difference in Mom and Dad's life.  We are their loves.

So Mom went with a friend of a friend to a breeders farm to deliver newspapers to her.  Mom was appalled and very sad when she saw the conditions of this farm.  She didn't even want to get out of the car.  The first thing this person asked mom is if she was from USDA and we guess she was worried she would be in TROUBLE for the conditions Mom was seeing.  Once she realized Mom was not and was basically held captive she showed Mom around. Mom said later it took her days to get that smell out of her nose and hair. 

( I had lived with mom and dad two years in this picture)

Mom and Dad's little minpin had just went to the rainbow bridge and they were not looking for a dog yet. She kept showing Mom old breeder dogs that Mom could just have, but Mom said no, and it broke her heart to do that. Mom said she was just in shock cos she didn't know about these places.  The nursery was in a creepy basement and as she showed Mom new puppies Mom said her eyes kept watering from the smell and her heart breaking.  They handed her a little black dog that was 4 months old-- that looked like a baby gorilla and told mom that she was almost blind and they couldn't sell her, so she would stay in the basement and become another breeder dog.  Mom somehow ended up carrying that stinky little dog around while she saw the rest of the place. 

(I had lived with mom and dad a whole year in this picture)

That little dog was living with 4 bigger dogs, so she was not well cared for nor well fed and did we mention she smelled really bad. When it was time to go, Mom got ready to hand the dog back to the devil woman, and the woman told her she could just keep her cos the vet bills for her would add up for the breeder. Mom said no they weren't ready for another little dog yet, BUTT when it was time to put her back in the cage, MY Mom froze up and her eyes were wet, and she looked into that little weird face and said she would take her home forever. .

(I am still sad here in this picture.)

 On the way home that little stinky dog laid in the seat beside MY Mom and Mom said I think your name should be STELLA ROSE cos you deserve something beautiful in this world.  I struggled at their home till I was almost a year old.  One minute I was a happy little pug and the next minute I would become angry at the world.  Mom told me later that she thought I didn't understand anything about love, and I just had to figure out in my own time that they would always love and trust me.  A few months later they went back and got my little brother who had been born right after I left, and once Sammy J. Simpson entered my life I started to settle down, and just let myself love everyone. 

(Sammy lives at the rainbow bridge now and watches over us)

 

That is my gotcha story.  That was just a small part of my life, only 4 months  and now I am 4.5 years old I have many more wonderful memories and  those are  what I think about. My mom loves me with all her heart and I love her with all my heart.  I have taught my Mom so many lessons in life and my Mom has taught me all about having a loving Mom and Dad. 

Here are a few more pictures of me. 

(4 months old)

(Do I look like a pumpkin?)

(My Christmas Picture for Stan)

Stella Rose Long