To the person who once thought I was cute enough to breed…
You wanted me to have cute little puppies. And I did.
I don’t know how many babies I had, or where they are now. I only know that when I was about seven years old, I was no longer useful to you.
So you discarded me. But you had unknowingly set me free from your captivity.
I remember being confused when I found myself crammed into a truck with so many other dogs. I didn’t know where we were going. I didn’t know that we were being taken to a dog meat market.
Then the truck stopped.
There was shouting. Lots of people. Lots of commotion. Words were exchanged and, somehow, instead of continuing on that journey, I found myself being moved somewhere else.
That was the day my life course took a turn.
I arrived at a place filled with dogs of every shape and size. There were lots of little ones like me. Slowly, I began to understand my circumstances had changed.
I was no longer required to have any more puppies. I could sleep. I had food every day. And goodness, did I eat.
Then one day, everything changed again.
I was put on a very long plane journey to Paris, and from there I was driven all the way to London.
It was late at night when I was woken from my sleep. Standing in the dimly lit unfamiliar place, I was handed over to a lady with a little black dog beside her.
She looked at me, a little surprised how much smaller I was and called me Lulu. And that became my name.
Since that night, I have discovered that life can be very different.
I have not one bed, but a choice of four.
I share my home with my brother George.
I go on adventures in 19 countries, stay in five-star hotels, dine in Michelin-starred restaurants, ride on boats, trains, fly in planes and run on beaches and explored cities.
I get washed and brushed and fluffed for photos. I wear outfits and the occasional bow tie.
I have people who think about my toilet needs and making sure I am fed every day and take my meds.
Most of all, I am loved.
So today, on my Gotcha Day, I sometimes think about the life I had before.
And I think about my babies. I don’t know where they are.
But wherever they may be, I hope with all my little heart that they were lucky too.
I hope somebody found them. I hope they have warm beds. I hope they have full tummies.
And I hope they know what it feels like to be loved simply because they exist, and not because of what they can give someone.
Because that is what I finally found. A home. A family. And my happily ever after. ❤️🐾
Happy Gotcha Day to me.
Love,
Lulu
Lulu’s rescue dog story began on a truck bound for the dog meat trade. Today, on her Gotcha Day, I look back at the extraordinary journey that brought this discarded breeding dog from rescue and adoption to London, a second chance with our family. ❤️
But Lulu’s story is also part of another story.
When I said goodbye to Darcy, I made her a promise.
I promised that I would open my heart again. I promised that George and I would keep living in the moment. And I promised that another dog would know the kind of love she had known.
That dog was you.
Happy Gotcha Day, Lulu. ❤️
A promise kept.
