Lucy’s Story
My Heart and Our Ambassador
In 2022, we purchased this property and I was determined to adopt a pitbull. I combed the shelters website and found the dog that I wanted. Finally, the day came and we walked into the Austin Animal Center to meet my friend. Well, we couldn't find him. We walked up and down every aisle in the shelter looking at all the dogs going wild, barking, jumping, and telling me to pick them. It was incredibly sad. I wanted to stop and take all of them home, but we kept walking.
We were in the last room on the last aisle and there was this one dog sitting quietly. It was shocking really, but if you listened carefully you could hear her crying. I am sure that hundreds of people had walked right past her, not noticed and just kept moving looking for “their” dog, just like I was, and she had noticed them all. She wasn’t about to let me walk by this time.
I crouched down to her level and she told me, “dad, I want to go home.” It was in her body language, she was pressing so hard against the side of her kennel trying to sit on my lap. I had to visit with this dog. I went and found one of the volunteers at the shelter to get some one on one time with her. As I walked away she watched me disappear around the corner, probably thinking the worst: that I was another person just walking past her. When we returned, she was still sitting there looking for me when her face lit up, tail started wagging, and she pressed even harder against the door.
I will never forget the walk to the yard where all she wanted to do was give me her belly and smother me with kisses. And the volunteer told me “don’t get too close.” Sure, I understood why she told me that, but I had met that dog, and that dog met that human. We were both in the same place. We were OK.
Fast forward 18 months later, Lucy is the inspiration for The Bully Sanctuary. Lucy has showed me what it means to love and be loved at the same time. Sometimes it is hard to disconnect from your feelings, goals, and wants ,and be open. This dog has no reason whatsoever to trust me, let alone love me but she does and I am forever grateful for her.
