Just Call Me Happy

By Kayla - a dog rescued from a puppy mill

Hi, my name is Kayla and I am a little dog.  Nobody knows when I was born, who my parents were or even what breed of dog I am.  The vet thinks I am almost 2 years old. 

You see, I was born in, and grew up in a puppy mill. A puppy mill is a horrible place where people keep hundreds of dogs and make them have puppies over and over and over again.  We had no dog houses, no blankets or pillows to sleep on, not even bowls for our food and water.  Some of the dogs were kept in cages all the time.  Everyday a man would come and throw out raw chickens, cow udders and intestines and that was our food.  Sometimes the food was rotten and green and smelled and tasted terrible, but a dog has to eat.  Nobody ever paid any attention to us, we were never socialised, cuddled or loved and every day was a fight for survival.  In the winter it was very, very cold and in summer it was hot and wet in the rain.  The place was covered in rotten carcasses, feathers and faeces, even skeletons from some of the dogs that died.  Nobody ever cleaned the place and we had to live and have our puppies in all this filth.  We were always scared and felt threatened by almost everything.   

Some of the dogs have been at this puppy mill for years.  Many of them were very sick and had eye problems and open sores and cancerous growths on their bodies.  My one friend, Shelley was shot by a neighbour and had a bullet in her leg for almost six months – her leg had to be amputated.  We never received any medical attention and were covered with ticks and fleas.  It was truly a horrible and scary place. 

Then one day in February, I also had seven puppies.  It was very painful and I was really scared.  I did not know what to do and had nobody to help me – I was still so very young and not ready for this experience. 

A few days later, a group of strange people arrived at the puppy mill.  They had cameras and looked angry and upset.   They started inspecting the dogs and began removing the sick ones and the mommies with the new puppies.  I was one of them.  They found many mommies with puppies lying under floor boards in filthy conditions and covered in fleas.  By now, all the dogs were very frightened and some tried to hide or run away.  These people were very friendly and kind, but we did not realise that they were there to help us.   

We were all removed from that horrible place and taken to a wonderful place called Wet Nose where they cleaned us and gave us all medical attention.  Unfortunately a lot of my friends from the puppy mill had to undergo surgery and many were too sick to be saved.  Even though all the Wet Nose people were very kind, we were all very scared and not used to all this attention.  The best part was the clean pillows and blankets that I now slept on and the food.  Real, real dog food in a bowl!!  Of course, I was not used to food in a bowl, so I tipped the bowl over and ate from the floor.  For the first time in my life, I was clean, free of fleas, warm and safe. 

A few days after I arrived at Wet Nose a strange lady walked into my run.  She sat down next to me and my puppies and talked to me in a soft voice.  She patted my head and rubbed my back and tummy and it felt real good.  Even though I enjoyed the cuddle, I was still scared and unsure of how to react, so I just lay there.  When she left, she gave me biscuits and nice chewies and promised to visit me again.  And she did.  Many times over the next few weeks.  She told me that she fell in love with me (what’s that?) and that she wants to be my new mommy.  She also said that I am a pretty little girl.  Wow! 

After a few weeks at Wet Nose all my puppies were adopted to new homes and I was strong and healthy enough to be sterilised – no more puppies for me.  The next day, my new mommy arrived, wrapped me in a warm, clean blanket and drove me to my new home.  She spoke softly to me all the way and told me about my new brother and sisters and all the love and attention that I would receive.  I was petrified.  I did not know what a home or love and attention was.  And she gave me a new name, Kayla. 

At my new home, my mom took me out of the car and put me on the grass.  Then she let the other dogs out and they were very happy to see me.  My mom works from home and she put me in a basket in her office and gave me food and water.  I was still scared – I have never been inside a home before - but as long as I could see her, I felt ok.  I slept with my new mom in her bed, under the duvet.  So soft, clean, warm and safe.  She made me special food.  No more raw feathery chicken for me.  And nothing green and smelly.  I now have enough to eat, clean water in a clean bowl that is never empty.   My mom is the best cook in the world.   And my dad buys us biltong.  Wow, have you ever had biltong in your life?  Try it, it is greeeeaaaaat. 

It took some time for me to get used to my new life. For the most part of my life I was surrounded by sick, scared, desperate and unhappy dogs and puppies.  Now suddenly, everything was new and strange.  So many new sounds and tastes.  I was not housetrained.  Nobody has ever fed me a treat, given me a bath or groomed me.  Never mind love and attention.  I was used to sleeping on cold, hard surfaces and had to fight for my food and shelter.  I took a while to realise that it was ok to eat when I am hungry, sleep when I am tired and that we all share our food and toys.  When I need attention or a cuddle, I can just ask and it is given in abundance. 

My new home has a beautiful, big garden to play in.  There are lots and lots of toys and I have many soft, warm and clean places to sleep or just chill.  As the days went by, I started to relax more and ventured outside on my own.  I also got to know my new family better.  There is Lex, Mira and Mia – they are Yorkies.  Also Coco – she is a Scottie and she is my bestest, best friend in the whole wide world.  We have so much fun.  We run around all day or we just lie on the couch and chew on nice things that mom gives us.  We like to dig holes in the garden and then mom has to fill it in before dad gets home.  My new dad is very nice.  He works all day and is always very glad to see us when he gets home.  He always picks me up and gives me a cuddle.  Imagine!!  Some of my parents’ friends came to our house specially to meet me.  I am a bit of a celebrity on our street and everybody is always kind and nice to me.  I am beginning to like people. 

A few days after I went to my new home, my mom had to go out and when she came back, I was so happy to see her that I wagged my tail and smiled at her.  She went crazy.  So, I did it again. I do think that my mom is a bit mad, because she keeps forgetting my name.  She keeps calling me Sweetie Pie, Ladybird, Darling, or something like that.  But I am sure it is ok, at least I know she loves me to bits and she keeps telling me so.  I heard her tell friends that she is worried about my tail wagging – she is afraid that my tail will fall off – but I cannot help it, I am so happy now.   

My life is so much different from what it had been like at the puppy mill and I have been told that most of my rescued friends have also been adopted to new homes.  I hope they are all as happy as I am and that all the other dogs that are still in puppy mills will be rescued soon.  I also hope that people become more aware of the intolerable cruelty that lots and lots of innocent animals suffer at the hands of some humans.  Thank you Wet Nose. 

In the meantime I am growing stronger and more independent every day.   I am healthy, clean, safe and warm and my tummy is full (dad says I am getting fat).  I know that I am special and loved.  So I will just continue to wag my tail and if it should fall off ……. well I am sure my mom will get me a new, better one.

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God bless,

Petro Bruwer