Angie

Angie & Rachel

The first time our founder Eva saw Angie in the shelter was back in April 2019. She took a photo of her but didn't take her out of there. That day we took about ten dogs out - all very sick. The second time Eva saw Angie was the first week of May 2019. It was raining, and when our team arrived at the shelter they could see the dogs had no food. They asked the shelter staff about it. They said there was no money to buy food. Eva started crying, walking around helplessly. She took some dogs out that day - an old pregnant dog, some really matted poodles and as she was walking out she saw Angie's face. Most dogs hadn't eaten for three days and Angie just looked so sad with those big eyes. She was used for breeding before she was sold to a dog meat truck. Then she was saved and now she was starving. Eva couldn't leave without her again. She waited almost three months for her freedom flight and at the end of July when she flew to Compassionate Pug Rescue who worked together with Good Karma Pet Rescue in Florida and they found her a great home with Rachel. Keep reading to see Rachel's experience.
I had heard of the Chinese meat trade and have always been sickened by it. I really I try not to look at it. A friend from HS works over in China and would post pictures of some of the markets with giant bug pictures and even him eating them. That would make me sick in itself seeing huge creepy crawlers on a skewer. I have volunteered for my local rescue for almost 15 years Compassionate Pug Rescue and have adopted all but one of my babies from here. We committed to taking Angie with a group of dogs from Good Karma Pet Rescue and Big Ranch Dog Rescue. Angie was going to fly on the plane with the flight volunteer Deven. As soon as I saw her picture I knew I had to meet this little girl and give her hugs and kisses. I had just lost a pug in April who was my life and I stayed up to the wee hours giving oxygen to, and another one in July, a hospice foster who stole my heart and needed a great deal medical attention as she was in Kidney failure. I wasn't ready for another dog. Especially one like Angie who was going to need a lot of attention between her skin, vet appts etc. However, Harebear (HB my pug) & I were both grieving and couldn't help but fall in love with Angie. We brought her home and she was scared and apprehensive of everything, even kibble, as she had been eating cornmeal & water in the shelter (when they hadn't run out). That was the day Eva knew she had to get her after leaving her prior and I knew I needed her! She would jump and shake at every sound and sight. Not trusting anything, or anyone really but her big brother HB. She would get right up to his mouth to smell what he was chewing. She was like a baby seeing the world for the 1st time. A flower. Oh goodness a flower. The way she smelled it curiously was so adorable, I'll never forget. I always spoke to her gently, reassured her, pet her, told her what a good girl she was and promised her she would never suffer another day in her life. So as you could imagine potty training was hard bc she was easily distracted. She hated her medicated baths (which she needed 3x a week). I tried the bathtub (silly mommy) what a huge mistake. Big tub, lots of noises, lots of trembling, oh no what did I do to my baby? We waited until the next day I put her in the sink, Kenny G , candles and we made it through. It took Angie longer than other dogs I've seen rescued from China to adjust, but we don't know exactly what happened to her & of course every dog is different to begin with. Angie was the perfect antidote for my grieving heart. I needed her as much as she needed me. My entire family fell in love with her from the start & my nephew would sleep over just to be able to cuddle with her. She absolutely adores my niece & nephew, as they do her and they facetime together. My 2yo niece will tilt her head back & forth while Angie does and my 7yo nephew loves remembering all of her nicknames and trying to come up with more. Angie goes crazy if she hears their voices or my mom and sisters & runs around looking for them. Angie has come full circle. She has learned all the routines, loves to go bye bye in the car (where her brother acts as a seatbelt to protect her), gets her groom on to be a pretty girl and is an amazing fun little girl. She has developed these adorable little gremlin sounds when she's excited. I couldn't love her anymore than I do. Rescuing her from China was the best! Knowing I saved her from the Chinese Meat Market makes her all that more special and i would do it again in a heartbeat!