Aurora

I'll admit it all began with some research. I wanted a dog that had a low likelihood of genetic problems, was easy-to-train and was big and fluffy. My research led me to a breed I've never heard of before -- the Belgian Tervuren.

I found an organization called Belgian Tervuren Rescue, and I found a "Terv" to adopt, at that time her name was "Foxy" -- no one knows her birth name. I filled out a form and within two weeks Aurora's foster dad called us. Within days I was at LA Airport picking her up from her long flight from Ames, Iowa.

She rode home on my lap. Even though she was shaking, she somehow seemed regal in her posture and manner, so I named her Aurora after Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. It's a beautiful name for a beautiful creature.

At first Aurora was terrified of everything - you couldn't stand up without her running out of the room shaking. She must have been terribly abused. It turns out she was a puppy mill "mommy," living in a cage all her life doing nothing but having one litter of puppies after another. Finally the authorities shut down the trailer-park puppy mill, and Aurora was liberated.

She has had appropriate medication administered for her condition - regular doses of love and attention. Over time she's calmed down, and she doesn't fear sounds and rapid movements any more. Now she's much more likely to walk right up to you, press her big fuzzy body up against you and then look at you as if to say "now you may pet me".

You might consider this ridiculous, but I think Aurora is an angel. How an animal can come from such horrible beginnings, to become an agent of unconditional love and acceptance is nothing less than divine. I truly thank God for her.