Flora: 10-Year Adoption Anniversary

Ten years ago, on 7/3/2014, I adopted Flora from the National Mill Dog Rescue—a wonderful organization. Dog mills (or puppy mills) for those who don’t know, are breeders who breed dogs irresponsibility, sacrificing the health and happiness of the dogs to make a quick buck. If you want to learn more about that corner of evil and get really, really angry, go ahead and google more about dog mills.

In any case, I'd been looking for a dog for four months by that point. I wanted a beautiful dog (and I prefer red dogs) and, more than anything, one that would love me. I wasn't allowed a puppy at my apartment, I so looked specifically for a dog between one and four years old. I knew nothing about Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, but just before I went to the rescue to look at a different dog, I spotted Flora's face on the rescue's website and did some research on her breed. At 3-1/2 years old, she was just inside my age specifications. When I got to the rescue, I looked first at the other dog and then, uncertain, met Flora.

She pressed herself against my leg and stared up at my with her giant, melting-chocolate, romance-heroine spaniel eyes. I told the rescue that as long as she didn't have any health issues, I'd adopt her--and I took her home a week later, after she'd been spayed.

She was pretty doped up at first, and to be honest, I had no idea what I was getting in for. She did love me; she never barked at me or was alarmed by me. She slept with her head on my shoulder and was always on my lap. . . .

And she urinated on my bed when she was upset, barked constantly at whoever came by, couldn't be left for even a short time due to severe separation anxiety that led her to cry the whole time I was gone. . . .

She had never gone up stairs, never had her belly rubbed, never seen her own reflection, never stepped on autumn leaves. . . .

Cavaliers are a breed who, beyond anything, love their people, and Flora now had a person. And I had a dog. I had someone to take on walks, someone to show off to my friends, someone to care for.

Flora and I have now lived together for 10 years, and our lives have wrapped around each other. The job I have, the way I designed my house, even the kitten I adopted -- all were because of Flora.

She's old now, of course, but still spry. She has the two inevitable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel issues (stage 2 mitral valve heart disease and syringomyelia), but both are controlled by medication; and other than that and a tiny touch of arthritis in her back, according to the bloodwork/ultrasounds/ x-rays she had half a year ago . . . "her values look like she's a puppy."

She's always been incredibly healthy, especially considering her background. We still walk about two miles a day. She still tears up and eats tissues. She is calm now, and friendly, and hardly barks at all. She goes up to strangers (including children) for pets. She follows my brother-in-law around for treats and loves my young nieces. She is happy and she is loved.

On this our anniversary, I will be donating to the wonderful National Mill Dog Rescue, website https://nmdr.org/. I highly encourage any of you who are looking for a place to do some good to do the same. And as for you who want to adopt a mill dog -- they can be the most wonderful companions. But be prepared also to be very patient. These dogs are horribly traumatized.

And thank you everyone who has helped them.

Day 1: 7/3/14

Ten years later