[sammiz]

My name is Katie, but I don't know it yet. Let me tell you about myself. I am a sweet little two year old girl. My coat will be very pretty, when it grows out.

For a long time, I had to live in a place I didn't like. It was a small room, and I had to stay there with 22 other dogs. When I arrived, I was little, and there were many dogs who were bigger and meaner than me. Before that, my mom had always fed me, and I had plenty to eat, but at this new place someone opened the door once a day and just threw food in. It lands all over and everyone had to fight to get something, anything to eat. It was yucky and never enough. The bigger dogs would fight and would pick on me. I am a lover, not a fighter, so I tried to make up by being sweet but that didn't work. They still picked on me and hurt me. We stayed in that room all the time.


One day they brought in little black puppy, I named her Lucy. She was very small and sweet and afraid. We were best buddies, and together all the time. I loved Lucy so much. One day while Lucy was still little, the people threw food in and some landed on top of her head. The bigger mean dogs jumped on her to get the food. They bit her and hurt her and pulled a big place of skin off the top of her head. I tried to help her, but all I could do is love on her after the bullies got the food off.


Not too long ago some people came and took us away. They cleaned us up and put us in cages. They made us see something called a vet. It was scary, but soon I realized it was a better place. They let Lucy and I stay together and they fixed her head. They cut our hair off and fixed our sores. They even got rid of those little itchy bugs. They fed us plenty of food and it was good. They petted us. Most of the bigger meaner dogs didn't get to stay with us. I heard someone say that 19 of the had to be euthanized for health and temperment reasons. I didn't understand what that meant, but I didn understand that Lucy and I were lucky.


Pretty soon some lady came and took Lucy and I. I was scared, but I tried to be brave for Lucy. She said she was going to be our foster mom. They told us they were trying to find homes for us. She was really nice. Her house had other nice dogs to play with and they fed us and petted us.


A lady came to "adopt" me. I had to leave Lucy. I was sad. She took me to her house and I was scared. She didn't talk to me or tell me it was ok. I was so scared I slept in the cat box and I guess she didn't like that because the very next day she tied a string around my neck and took me back to my foster mom. Yea! Lucy! (My foster mom was REAL mad at that lady for tying a string to me.)


Then my new mom heard about us. She heard that they wanted Lucy and I to stay together. She called and told them she would take us because she knew it would be hard finding a home that would keep us together. Right before my mom called, a nice old man had come and taken Lucy. My foster mom said not to worry, because he would take good care of her. I am glad she has someone to love her, but I miss her.


My new mom came to get me. She seemed nice enough when she picked me up. She brought me my very own brand new pink collar. Now I was hot stuff. She put me in the car and we rode forever. Then we got to a place she called my new home. There were other nice dogs to play with. It was pretty cool. There were all these little stuffed things and squeaky things on the floor. I wasn't sure what to do with them, but I was sure I wanted them all for me, so the first night I picked them all up (a big job since there were so many) and put them in my pile on the couch. After I was done I layed in front of them so no one would take them. My new house has a cool yard. They feed me food that tastes yummy and my hair is growing out. The best part, though, are my new brother, sisters and my mom. She pets me and talks sweet to me. I just know she loves me and will never let anything bad happen to me. She does fuss a little sometimes, like the time I was chewing on something she called her "good pumps". I don't really understand that, they were on the floor like all the other toys.


There is one thing wrong with me, though. It starts in my heart and when it starts I can't stop it. It starts and I feel so happy and pretty soon my whole back end is shaking really fast from side to side. I tried to hide it from my mom because I was afraid if she saw it she would think something was wrong with me and send me back. She saw it, though, because I can't hide it. I guess it's ok, because she just laughs at me and calls it the "wild waggle" which I don't understand.


Sometimes at night, when everyone is quiet, I like to sit on my mom's lap and look at her. She pets me and talks to me and tells me things I don't understand. She tells me she is sorry people were mean to me and sorry she didn't get there soon enough to get Lucy and she is sorry that I made it to the ripe old age of two without anyone caring enough to give me or teach me my name. She seems sad. I kiss her to make her happy and promise her I will learn this name thing soon, as it seems important to her, but first, there are all those toys to play with!


Michelle and the Circus