One october morning 2021, my mother was on her way to work, walking down a little-traveled street in Old Havana. Suddenly, a young woman walked past her with an adorable puppy that jumped on top of my mom to play. The joy was contagious. I say it was love at first sight between them.
The girl told my mother that she was going to give Christy up for adoption, since she had rescued her from her former owners, ruthless people who had the dog in very poor health, and she did not have conditions at home to have a pet.
My mother offered herself as an adopter, soon we would have a new member in the family and Christy a new home where she would feel loved and protected.
That day my mom told me about her encounter in the morning, and in the afternoon I went to pick up Christy at her foster home. My poor dog looked scared, because she was changing houses and owners again, after all, I was an unknown person who was taking her to an unknown place.
When I got home I gave her a nice bath with lukewarm water, and the next day we made our first visit to our vet, because Christy hadn't had her nails cut in a long time and she was also itchy all over her body from fleas.
The vet told me that Christy was apparently 8 years old, and that she was a breed called the Italian Greyhound. He gave her vaccinations and treatment to improve her health.
At first she didn't want to eat because she was sad, but with patience and a lot of love, she regained confidence and joy. Now she jumps, plays, curls up on the sofa and pillows. And when we get home she runs to meet us and she brings us her favorite toy, which is a chewed up ball.
And there she is now, with her own style, like every afternoon, sunbathing from the window, in that place she has chosen on the sofa, being sure that she has a family that adores her.
