Minnesota Woman Takes In A Sick Dog From Tijuana, Then Discovers Why Finding Her A Home Won’t Be Easy
When a malnourished dog named Smile was rescued from a hoarding situation in Tijuana, her foster mom in Minnesota was determined to give her a reason to be happy. What she discovered was a dog whose name perfectly matched her personality.
A Surprising Expression
When you look at a dog who has been through unimaginable hardship, the last thing you expect to see is a joyful expression.
But for one special dog, her unique facial expression was the very first thing her rescuer noticed.
“The first time I saw her smile, it made zero sense to me,” her rescuer recalled. “Like, ‘Why is she smiling?'”
It was a question that would soon be answered as the dog’s incredible journey unfolded.
A Difficult Start In Tijuana
The dog, fittingly named Smile, was originally located in a home in Tijuana, Mexico.
What started as a home quickly turned into a severe hoarding situation, leaving the animals in desperate need of help.
To make matters worse, rescuers were told that Smile was pregnant.
Given how malnourished she was, the pregnancy was considered very high risk, adding urgency to her rescue.
A Promise Made
Determined to change the dog’s life, her future foster mom made a heartfelt vow.
“I was like, ‘I am going to give you a reason to smile,'” she said.
The journey to safety was long, but eventually, Smile arrived in Minnesota to begin her new life.
However, upon her arrival, her foster mom noticed something unexpected about the supposedly pregnant dog.
An Unexpected Diagnosis
“I looked at her, and I’m like, ‘That dog is 100% not pregnant,'” her foster mom recalled.
A veterinary check revealed a heartbreaking truth about Smile’s condition.
Her foster mom learned that a dog’s body can actually absorb a pregnancy when under extreme stress or malnutrition.
“Unfortunately, that it happened to Smile,” she explained, realizing the immense physical toll the hoarding situation had taken on the dog.
Breaking The Quarantine Rules
Smile’s recovery started in a puppy pen because she was suffering from mange, a contagious skin condition.
But her foster mom couldn’t bear to keep her isolated.
“I decided very quickly that it didn’t matter if I was going to get mange,” she admitted.
“I couldn’t look down on her in that puppy pen with those adorable eyes and not give her the love she was asking for.”
A Reason To Celebrate
Having Smile in the house became a delightful distraction.
“How am I supposed to get anything done when I have this thing living in my house?” her foster mom joked.
When the day finally came for Smile to be released from medical quarantine, it was a joyous occasion.
“The day she was released from medical quarantine felt like a party,” her foster mom said, celebrating the milestone.
Making Herself At Home
Once free to roam, Smile made herself at home instantly.
Her favorite activity was curling up in bed, getting under the blankets, and laying right next to her foster mom.
When she wasn’t snuggling, she was right in her foster mom’s face, putting her nose close and offering her signature smile.
It became clear that Smile’s name was a perfect fit for her loving and affectionate nature.
More Than Just A Moment
While some dogs smile to show submission or fear, Smile’s expression meant so much more.
Her foster mom realized that the smile wasn’t just a fleeting reaction.
“I learned that her smile wasn’t just a captured moment in time. It is her personality,” she explained.
Smile’s joyful demeanor shone through in everything she did, proving her resilience.
The Hardest Goodbye
As Smile healed and thrived, her foster mom faced a difficult realization.
“She was the type of foster where I really realized, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to let her go,'” she confessed.
Finding the perfect forever family for Smile was a challenging task, especially since she didn’t really like other dogs.
The search required patience to find a home where Smile could be the center of attention.
Keeping It In The Family
The perfect solution came from an unexpected but wonderful place.
Her foster mom’s sister submitted the first application that didn’t have other dogs in the home.
“So I got very, very, very, very, very, very lucky,” her foster mom shared.
Smile now has the perfect forever home, and her foster mom still gets to see her regularly, watching her thrive with the happiness she always deserved.
