Written by Faith’s Adoptive Parents

I read the story about two little Westies that were released from a puppy mill in Missouri that was posted on the Terrier Club I belong to. They were asking for prayers for they feared they may not make it through the night. My heart went out to these little ones but the pictures of one all wrapped up in a paw print blanket or with her little coat on when she went outside would not let go of my heart. Her eyes pleaded to be left alone and yet, sadly wanted you to stay and protect her.

The other little Westie would do just that. She would snuggle and lie beside the sickly one and nudge her to eat and to drink. With every letter I read, my heart gripped this little one tightly until I knew... she had to come to me. She had to come home. Here is her story. This is about a little Westie named Faith, and as you read her story you will under stand why she could have no other name. She was once only a number in a puppy mill, never felt the soft caress of a human hand, or felt the coolness of grass under her feet, her water came from a drip bottle hung on the side of her cage. But she is one of the lucky ones, she came out alive. Barely.

I belong to the terrier club ( www.terrierclub.com ), and one day she and another little Westie's story was posted. It told of how these two were only about 2 years old, its stated how messed up they were when the rescue's got them - both were completely matted and covered with feces and urine.

Ulcerated eye

One had an ulcerated eye; canine teeth broke off; and a ruptured uterus. They had urine burns all over their bodies. The little girl with the broken teeth would turn her little face to the wall whenever a human walked into the room. On the outside and the inside they had been harmed and many in rescue wondered if they were serving them any justice by keeping them alive in their mental torment.

I could not get the one with the ruptured uterus out of my mind - she had been bred too young, too many times. It had ruptured at some point and adhered to her bladder. She had extensive surgery to repair the damage the careless breeders caused her and she only saw rescue’s help as yet one more invasion to her already tortured body. But you just couldn’t give up on her. Even when I was told they had people who wanted her. I went to sleep with her on my mind. I wanted to send things to her so she could have something that came from me, in hopes that some way she would know I wanted her. When I was told it looked like she had a forever home and she would be called Sadie, I felt like someone had taken her away from me, for you see in my heart she belonged to me. She had a home. Right here with me and Ed. So days went by and I told myself that she was getting a good home, so I just had to find some other way to help her - perhaps by helping others that are still out there suffering at the hands of a puppy mill. So each night I tried to think of ways, but my thoughts always turned to her. She was mine, it whispered... she was mine.

Burns

Then one day there was a email message waiting for me, among all the words that were written I only saw these five words, "do you still want Sadie?" It explained how the family could no longer adopt Sadie for one reason or another, but all I kept reading was, "Do you still want Sadie?". DO I? I was on the phone at once making plans for the day she would be well enough to travel. After talking it over with my family, we decided to rename her Faith, for when you would hear her name it will remind us to have ‘Faith’ for a better tomorrow when all the puppies still locked up in puppy mills are freed!

At last the day was here and we gladly left for the 12 hour drive to bring Faith home. That is twelve hour drive - one way! But she was coming home... she was coming HOME! Bringing Faith into our home has not been easy. She had never known a human she could trust. She had never known what a house was like. Voices, smells, laughter. She is afraid of everything; a paper bag left on the floor, even the sound of her own nails as she walks across the floor - for sometime she wouldn’t even WALK on the floor as the noise of her own paws terrified her! She was afraid of a hand that would reach out to show her love, fearing it only meant to harm her. Faith was never allowed to play as a puppy so her youth was even stolen from her. She lived inside a cage only big enough to stand up and turn around. A cage where she had no protection from the other animals above her when they relieved themselves. No, she lived in filth and squaller and believe it or not- perfectly legal. As long as they can stand up and turn around and are fed... its all the law required. Who cared about the burns from urine and feces! Still, with all this do you think I would be sorry for saying yes to such a crippled little creature? It’s a question you need to ask me the first time I saw a flicker of life shine out of those soulful eyes. Ask me this when I see her search for me when I have left the room or when she accepts a biscuit from me - from my hand. Ask me this the first time she accepted a squeaky toy. Am I sorry when I hear my husbands heavy footsteps become softer, or when I hear him speak with words so tender to ease her fear it would make many of us weep? I am sure you know my answer is no, for you see, she is teaching us. We've slowed down a little, we have a lot more patience. We've met new friends, and have found that there are others out there that care, just as we do. We have faith in her and we are trying to prove to her that she can trust and can have faith in people as well. So you see, she can only be called by one name, and that is Faith.

It's been three years since we drove all night to pick up Faith, she's doing fine, learning to play with her sisters and to know she is loved. We have learned many things about Faith - she loves to travel and as soon as she sees the van being packed up, she runs to the door all eager to be put in the van where she picks her spot between her sisters and watches to see where we are going. We found out she loves the ocean. I love watching her as she sits and watches the waves and seagulls with eyes all bright and tail waging. She is afraid when a group of people approach her, even though she will allow them to pet her gently, as she sits trembling in fear from memories so long ago that no one knows what they contain. This past summer was a milestone for Faith. We helped her join other Westies in a few games. We let her watch other Westies go through the Agility course and then offered her a turn at it. Now mind you this was her very first time to be in front of a crowd without me holding her. This, being the same dog that when she first arrived in rescue, turned her face away when a human approached her. There she was, my Faith in center field... When all the other Westies had taken their turn before her, the crowd would cheer and clap enthusiastically, but with Faith the judge motioned all to be very still. This was my babies biggest challenge yet. Softly I assured her I would be right there to guide her and then I stepped back.

But I don't want it's dark in there.		I made it!!!!

The Tunnel: At first there was no way Faith was going through that tube. Absolutely not! I found this out as I went to the other end and waited for her to come out to me - only to discover she was standing behind me looking up at me. I couldn’t help but laugh, but with a hug and a love pat I placed her back in the starting position and low and behold, our darling Faith gently made her way through the tunnel. I nearly cried from joy and pride! She did it! Then with new found courage, she decided she might give her hand at the other sports.

		Hey did you see? I did it, I did it!!!

With each jump, each ramp, each hurdle, Faith moved forward. Yes she was scared but she had been born with a Westie heart that at one time was nearly distinguish, but it had returned - Faith approached each obstacle and kept right on trying. Sure it took her longer than the others, but after she went over the finish line you could no longer keep the crowd still. It was truly a moving moment! For many reasons that most in the crowd would never know. Everyone was cheering for Little Faith. Our little Faith.

As for me, yes I had tears as I remembered how she was changing from the first time I saw her and feared she would not live long enough for me to get her to a vet. But three years later, here she was trying her best to be like all the other little Westies and I believe a large part of it was simply knowing she was loved. And she is. So very, very much.

If you take nothing more away from this account of our Faith, please do this. Stop puppy mills! If one domino falls by an action of your hand - they all do. Faith would be so proud!

Read more about puppy mills at: http://www.puppymillrescue.com/

Here is Faith and her Sisters!
L-R Faith, Phoenix & Stormie