Species
Dog

My pet was
adopted (usually from a shelter or rescue)

From what organization or individual was your pet adopted/rescued/purchased
City of Hartford Animal Shelter (Hartford, CT)

How does this photo represent the theme – Life is Better Together?
Maise was the most traumatized dog I have ever met (and volunteering for an organization that rescues dogs from testing laboratories, that's saying a lot!). Her fear of people was so ingrained, it took over a year for her to feel relaxed enough to wag her tail! My mom went to the shelter to pick up this sickly, mange riddled girl who had given up on life to the point where she allowed you to move her like a rag doll. However, that same day, my mom met Pippa, and overly enthusiastic pit bull who was scheduled to be killed the next day. Pippa was only about a year old, but had already had puppies. She had been found tied to an abandoned porch, with a unopened can of food she had gotten into. My mom went home that night thinking of Pippa. She went back to the shelter the next day to save her life and she hasn't regretted one second of it. Pippa's loving, nurturing soul was responsible for putting Maise at ease and helping her cope. Two years later, Penny was set to be PTS. Mom couldn't let that happen, and brought her home too. It took a little while for Pippa and Maise to accept her into their pack, but once they did, Penny's vacant, emotionless stare turned into a loving gaze. The three girls are now inseparable and celebrate their lives by playing hard in their yard, or sleeping even harder on their couch!