Thank you Liz for sharing her ‘matchmaking’ moment with her forever mutt Hazel:
Hazel came to me in September of 2014 and what a blessing she has been. I wanted a smaller dog because I live in an apartment, and I definitely wanted a senior dog. They need homes too! I’ve worked much of my adult life with elderly people, so it was a natural preference.
Sherri was in the office the day I visited Muttville, and right away handed me Hazel, saying “she’s so affectionate. Look at how she holds onto you with her paws!” And indeed, Hazel immediately grasped me tightly with her two front paws. We sat down and she snuggled into my lap as if we were old friends. I remember there was a commotion in the larger dog room and all of the little dogs in the office went on the alert, barking and howling and getting excited. Except Hazel. She stayed put! At that point I pretty much knew that Hazel was the one for me. How did Sherri know that we were a great fit? I think it was fate on the heels of Sherri’s intuition!
Hazel was around 11 when we adopted each other, and had cataracts, and since adoption the cataracts have progressed. She’s partly blind but gets around great. She knows her neighborhood by smell, and the layout of our apartment, and can go up stairs but now down more than 3 steps. We manage just fine, and I simply pick her up when there’s a long staircase to descend. She weighs about the same as my bowling ball, so carrying her is no big deal! Recently Hazel’s left cataract ruptured, and as a quality of life measure the eye had to be removed. (Ruptured cataracts can cause painful swelling). Hazel has an amazing vet, and has done great since surgery.
Hazel’s gained a bit of weight since adoption, despite plenty of walks. She probably gets a few too many treats (Hazel gets treats just for existing-shouldn’t we all?), but the vet tells me she’s very healthy.
We are a great team, and I thank Muttville from the bottom of my heart for connecting me with this beautiful sweet girl.
Photos:
1. Hazel and I soon after adoption
2. Hazel looking super cute
3. Hazel after eye surgery
4. Hazel “helping me” with my volunteer work at the Institute on Aging.
1/13/16
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'.
