We adopted Darla and Muppet on March 3, 2008. They were among several other Shih Tzu who had been rescued by Lhasa Happy Homes from the World Kennel puppy mill bust in Little Rock, CA. When we saw the original pictures of the condition they were in, with untreated eye, ear and skin maladies, we couldn’t fathom how humans could allow dogs to exist that way. We knew that they needed us as much as we needed them. Alas, their days of being caged, bred and absent of human love and affection were over.

Over time, we have watched two scared and sick little girls become strong, well-adjusted and integral members of our family. They have developed unique, independent, and fascinating personalities, and we are lucky for every day we have with them. They make us laugh, they comfort us when we are not well, reward us with smiling faces and wagging tails, and give us more love than words can describe. What strikes us most of all is the capacity of our girls to love. In spite of all they had been through, Darla and Muppet retained the capacity to love and forgive humans. They are a blessing in our lives, and they have made us better people.

The Metcalf family