Here is the story of a dog named Shadi, who traveled halfway around the world, starting in Iran, to find her forever home – and forever friends.
Let’s start her story from the beginning. From the words of Farah, the U.S. Representative for Vafa Animal Shelter, a group that rescues dogs in Iran. She describes Shadi’s rescue from her street life in Iran:
“It was winter, 3 years ago, when Vafa was notified of a tripod dog found in the middle of snow in Kordaan, nursing a litter of puppies. Our volunteers went and picked her up and brought her to the shelter. After a little TLC, they all started to feel better – the shelter vet spayed Shadi and later her puppies were also spayed/neutered. The puppies all found new homes, but Shadi did not, likely because she is a tripod. No one wanted her … until a kind lady named Maryam, who had adopted a tripod named Golpar asked for Shadi. We had her micro-chipped and were in the midst of getting her documents/travel set up when Maryam lost her battle with cancer. Shadi ended up staying in Hashtgerd.
“I found kind sponsors who offered to pay for the travel expenses for Shadi and another dog, so I sent them both to a rescue group in rural Virginia. After several months, Shadi was still waiting for a home. I thought about Shadi going to California and joining Muttville. I contacted Patty [Stanton, Muttville board member and volunteer], and the rest is history!”
Watch Vafa’s video about Shadi.
When Shadi arrived at Muttville, Sherri and many volunteers fell in love with her. In Sherri’s words:
“The first time I looked into Shadi’s big brown eyes, I knew her journey to us was just the new beginning she needed. And that she would trust us to find her the right home, a home where she didn’t need to worry any longer, a home full of love.”
Muttville volunteer and animal massage therapist Shelah Barr joined the team to help with Shadi’s physical issues:
“I first met Ms. Shadi after getting a combination of calls, texts, and emails from different people involved with Muttville asking if I could help this beautiful and wonderful dog that had just arrived.
“It’s obvious when you see Shadi that she has several deformities that affect her ability to get around. But it’s just as obvious that she’s learned to adapt and does pretty well for herself. The issue for me wasn’t whether massage could help her, because while it could relieve some symptoms of the dysfunction, it can’t change the circumstances that cause it. In addition, she’s an older gal now and I could see that she tires quickly, and that’s only going to increase the older she gets. The most sensible solution was to put her in a self-propelled wheeled cart. This would relieve the burden of her having to use her rear limbs, while giving her freedom she never had before.
“I contacted the staff at Eddie’s Wheels since they’ve made several carts for other clients. They worked very closely with us in getting the proper measurements, and have even re-worked the cart to make it even more comfortable for her to use. If it weren’t for the talented staff at Eddie’s Wheels, the generosity of Jaye Shissel, and the support of the loving Muttville staff and volunteers, Shadi might not be rolling in happiness the way she is today!”
From Jaye Shissel, the generous advocate who donated the funds for Shadi’s wheels:
“Shadi means ‘happy’ I’m told, and that is our girl: a lovely, brave lady, come halfway across the world with her BFF to teach us 2-legged’s how it’s done. Lovely Shadi did not like her picture taken when measured for her cart. I saw this and deleted all such pics from my phone. Like Shadi, I try to live in the moment and try to meet creatures where they are. This is why I cannot hear the sad stories – they sear my soul, and haunt me forever. I trust in other brave rescues to do that hard work that I cannot do.”
From Muttville foster parents, Charlotte and George, who cared for Shadi for 2 months:
“My husband and I had been thinking of fostering for Muttville after one of our dogs died. As luck would have it, Shadi arrived at Muttville the very day we were ready. She needed a foster home pronto that had easy access to a yard, a patch of grass and not many stairs. We had all that and more….
“After meeting Shadi, George and I both knew that we also had the time, energy and desire to provide the stability, attention and love that this dear sweet dog deserved. We were hooked on Shadi within 5 minutes of meeting her. Shadi, with her gentle, trusting soul and contented, happy disposition touched us both as she has touched so many people around the world.
“Shadi was easygoing and a joy to have around. She was never demanding and was very accommodating of our two old, infirm dogs. Shadi had a real appreciation of every little thing that we did for her and thanked us profusely with her frequent tail wags. She loved being brushed and scratched. We could never resist her unbridled display of enthusiasm, so onward we’d brush…she was a clever girl as well as a sweet one.
“Shadi had a big impact on us. We feel that she gave us a lot more than we gave her. She taught us so many lessons about how to live. Some, but certainly not all, of the lessons we learned from this smart, funny, loving and eternally optimistic girl are:
1. A pleasant personality and positive outlook can take one far in life. It took Shadi halfway around the world.
2. You can have a disability and not feel disabled. Shadi never knew her back legs weren’t quite right because she didn’t have a mirror and no one ever told her. She could pretty much do what her buddies were doing only it took her a little longer. Since she didn’t wear a watch (she couldn’t tell time) she didn’t really care how long it took.
3. A philosophy of ‘Nice is Nice’ is a good way to live. To Shadi, all animals and people were potential friends so it made sense to be nice to them all. Shadi excelled at eliciting smiles from everyone who was around her. The name ‘Shadi’ means ‘Happiness’ and Shadi brought that as a gift wherever she went.
4. Sometimes you think you’re helping someone and it turns out that they’re really helping you. We feel so lucky and so honored to have played a small role in Shadi’s incredible life and to have been a way station for her on her long journey to her forever home.”
…And, finally, from Shadi’s forever mom, Liz!
“Because of my sweet little lovebug Maggie, I really like the idea of older dogs. She was so well behaved, mellowed out and set in her sparkly ways that I decided to rescue another senior dog. When I saw Shadi’s face I fell in love. I’ve always been interested in tripods because they are so adaptive and capable. Shadi is all that; well behaved, mellowed out, beautiful and capable. The more I get to know her the more her world class personality comes out. I see that there was something special about her that made an international team of caring individuals fly her half way around the world.
“I feel so lucky to get this special dog. She is ideal in so many ways. I love the way she perks up and wags her tail the first thing in the morning. It makes my workday mornings so much more entertaining and effortless. When we come home in the evenings she frantically scrambles off our couch and herds me into dropping everything and petting her. We look forward to getting her rebalanced wheels from Muttville. I have a feeling that she will love to travel on hikes when she gets her gear and we anticipate much excitement during her reunion with ‘Team Shadi’.”
Shadi’s amazing journey is beautifully summed up by Jaye: “[Team Shadi] have all so beautifully demonstrated that it indeed takes a village, and that miracles can and do happen every day. If we work for the greatest good for all creatures, we can raise the bar on love and care of creatures worldwide.”
Adopt. Foster. Volunteer. Donate.
3/13/13
Are you the proud parent of a Muttville dog? Send us your story! Include three of your favorite photos and send it to success_stories@muttville.org with the subject line 'Success Story'.
