Mila

A few years ago, a beautiful black dog arrived at a shelter in Mexico with her litter of puppies. She had belonged to drug addicts in Mexico who forced dogs to fight for their entertainment and profit.

But this dog was not a fighter. She was a bait dog. Her teeth had been filed down so she couldn’t defend herself, and then she was forced to allow fighting dogs to practice on her to build their confidence. As a result, a large portion of her face was torn off, leaving much of her mouth exposed.

Somehow my colleague Estela managed to rescue her. “Ella es timida pero no es agresiva,” she texted. The dog was timid, but not aggressive.

Mila and her puppies.

Estela managed the hands-on work at the shelter, working tirelessly day after day to ensure each dog’s care. She would sometimes text me photos of dogs that had just arrived and ask me to help her choose a name.

When she sent me this dog’s picture, I knew not just any name would do. I sat with the photo for a long time, wanting her name to set the intention for her life going forward.

This beautiful, gentle soul became Mila, and along with her name, her whole life changed that day. Depending on the language, the name Mila means “miracle” or “dear”. We chose it for her because it was a wonder she survived the abuse she endured, and we wanted her to know that she mattered and deserved love.

Understandably, Mila was shut down and fearful. Dogs like her often spend years in shelters. With so many dogs needing homes, the timid ones get overlooked. And not everyone is willing to adopt a dog who has been disfigured by cruelty.

But Mila did not languish in a shelter for years. Shortly after she was rescued, a family in Arizona adopted her.

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When you work in rescue, there are animals you never forget, even when years have passed. Some have heartbreaking endings; others are adopted. But you rarely get to see them again or hear how they are doing. You just wonder.

I don’t have to wonder about Mila, though. Her adopters stayed in touch with me after they brought her home.

Mila is still continuing to work through her fears. But her adopters have given her patience and love, and the other dogs in her family have helped her learn to trust. To say Mila’s family adores her is an understatement. After noticing her affinity for home-cooked food, they make her elaborate special meals and enjoy watching her savor them. As Mila gained confidence, she began occasionally joining her moms at their family business. She is doing so well that she was recently promoted, and now has an important role greeting customers.

When Mila’s family learned Bryan and I would be in Arizona recently, they invited us to visit. We made a side trip to their house.

When we knocked on their door, it opened slowly, and Mila, shy but secure in the safety of her home, looked up at me. She seemed to sense something special was happening, though she didn’t know what. My heart melted with happiness and a satisfaction that can’t be put into words. Though I knew she was safe and loved in her new life, seeing it with my own eyes was different.

Her mom handed me a charcuterie board. At first, I thought she intended it as a snack for us to share, but I quickly realized this platter was all for Mila. She had cut up her favorite meats and cheeses for us to give her, to celebrate the special day.

I sat next to Mila on the floor. She radiated gentleness when she looked at me. Though still timid, Mila soaked up love. Later, after I earned her trust, she gave me the great honor of allowing me to pet her, a very special moment.

We drove four hours out of the way just to meet Mila, and it was more than worth every minute and every mile. It was a full circle moment with an unforgettable dog, and a day I’ll never forget.