I was so blessed to find my rescue dog, Maggie McCorkindale, who was at one of the shelters in San Bernardino County. I started searching for her after one of my friends saw her at a school event with a county canine officer. It took hours to find her because I only had a description and did not know where she was being sheltered. I started the paperwork to adopt her before I actually met Maggie, as she away from the shelter with the canine officer again, this time at an adoption clinic. I didn’t know until the last minute before closing if she would still be available; thankfully, she was.

Maggie was everything my Pet Partners friend said she was; sweet, lovely, quiet and she liked being touched and cuddled. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to bring her home that afternoon because the rules said she must be spayed, so I picked her up the following Tuesday from the vet’s office. She recovered from surgery very well, and soon after, I took her to the Pet Parlor for a good haircut and pedicure. After she was all cleaned up, I got to see how cute she really was. I named her after my paternal grandmother Magdeline McCorkindale Campbell who was a very special, loving, kind and nurturing grandmother.

When Maggie first came to me, her teeth were in bad shape, which required much dental work, including extractions and antibiotics. She recovered from that only to have a cancer scare; a lump in a mammary gland.  After surgery, we were extremely thankful to find out that the lump wan’t cancerous. After Maggie fully recovered, we resumed her training. I must have spoiled her during that stressful time because Maggie wouldn’t sit down, lay down or stay.  Stubborn? It was so bad that I thought I had lost my touch for simple training techniques. I needed help or we would not be able to pass the Pet Partners evaluation.

I turned to the same lady who recommended Maggie to me in the first place. She had trained dogs professionally in years past, so off we went to Lisa’s house for lessons. Three weeks later, Maggie decided it was a good thing, not a punishment. Training continues still, five minutes, twice a day so Maggie and I can continue learning and growing together as a team.

I am fortunate to have found such a wonderful little rescue dog. Maggie has brought me many memorable moments and much joy. When we are not visiting people in our community, I have her all to myself, and I’m thrilled to share that my blood pressure is normal now.

I am contacting my Congress representative, as I would love to officially celebrate a National Animal Rescue Day. Therapy animals can change the world and make it a kinder, more gentle place, I’m sure of it.

Story submitted by Bonnie Strom

At Pet Partners, we know that adopted animals from shelters can make amazing therapy animals. For more on how you can Congress to pass H.R. 34 and create a National Animal Rescue Day, please visit http://bit.ly/2YDd2WD.