A technical glitch helped cement Kara's decision to adopt Rhyder.
One evening last April, Kara Elliott was flipping through photos of
adoptable pets on the Petfinder iPhone app. Though she did want to adopt, at that moment she was just browsing. But fate stepped in via a technical glitch: The phone froze.
"The screen was stopped on a patchy-furred puppy by the name of Tweety," says Kara, who lives in Arlington, TX.
"I don't really know what called to me about that face; it could have been the wrinkles, or the sweet yet stubborn expression, but something was simply right about her," Kara says.
She e-mailed Shelter2Rescue Coalition in Arlington, and two weeks later, she was bringing home her very own dog, a Pit Bull mix. Kara named the pup Rhyder, after country artist Brandon Rhyder.
Rhyder "has had trouble from the beginning trusting people," Kara
says. "She often ran to her various hidey holes around the house when
new people arrived." However, Kara could relate: "I too have had trouble with anxiety over the past
two years."
Kara has suffered from chronic Lyme disease since her senior year in high school, and she was also battling depression. "I often found myself retreating into my own space," she says. "It was hard for me to break back into the world and relate to others."
Rhyder, it turned out, offered the perfect therapy. "Rhyder and I taught each other to trust," Kara says. "She is always by my side. She is my loyal protector and I am hers. Rhyder is a Pit Bull mix. That makes her one of the most loving dogs around. Since adopting her, I have gained a new, better understanding for this misrepresented breed. ... My life has changed because of my Rhyder-bear. All for the better."
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Kara has suffered from chronic Lyme disease since her senior year in high school, and she was also battling depression. "I often found myself retreating into my own space," she says. "It was hard for me to break back into the world and relate to others."
Rhyder, it turned out, offered the perfect therapy. "Rhyder and I taught each other to trust," Kara says. "She is always by my side. She is my loyal protector and I am hers. Rhyder is a Pit Bull mix. That makes her one of the most loving dogs around. Since adopting her, I have gained a new, better understanding for this misrepresented breed. ... My life has changed because of my Rhyder-bear. All for the better."
Once stray, a rescued bird chirps his way into his family's heart
It's Adopt-A-Rescued Bird Month! Meet Elvis, the African Grey
A shy Pomeranian comes out of his shell with TLC
A Pit Bull's foster home becomes her forever home
After five years in a cage, one rescued dog finds her forever home
A rescue dog brings joy to fellow seniors
One dog changes a family's life in a 'Flash'
Two senior cats are even better than one!
One senior dog finds a great home for her golden years
