Farm to Family – Molly
This was the day of Molly’s rescue ride. Rescue rides are celebrated times for both the dogs that are saved and the Brookline volunteers who save them. On this day, many lives are forever changed. For the farm dog that is rescued, it is a new beginning: a journey of kindness, care and a loving home awaits. For the Brookline volunteer, their life, too, is forever made better from this journey. In talking with those who pull dogs from the farm, they can recall the joy they felt with each dog they saved.
For 8 years of her life, Molly was a breeder dog and kept outside on a farm. At the end of this rescue ride, Molly was placed in a warm home with a caring foster family. She saw a vet, got her required vaccinations, and received treatment and medication to relieve a painful ear infection. Later, after being spayed, she remained in foster care to heal. She went to local parks, enjoyed car rides, and loved meeting new people.
In foster care, each Brookline dog is assigned a blog where potential adopters can learn about a dog’s history and read its progress. Melissa and Don followed Molly’s online blog. When she became available for adoption, they were thrilled to be chosen as Molly’s forever home. They fell in love with her and knew she was going to be perfect for them. Melissa and Don were both retired, and Molly joined them to enjoy her own retirement from the farm.
It didn’t take long for Molly to settle in at her forever home. She welcomed the warm beds and the comfy blankets. The excitement of regular, healthy meals even brought on an adorable dance each time she was fed. When introduced to family and friends, Molly loved everyone, including a furry neighbor named Daisy who became her BFF. Even the Fed X driver loved Molly. He would bring treats when delivering packages and she would sit by the front door waiting to greet him.
As is often the case with farm dogs, Molly never barked, never went on furniture, and never played with toys. At first, Molly was even hesitant to go outdoors for fear of never being allowed back inside. For the first few months in their home, Melissa and Don walked outside and stayed with her until Molly was sure she could safely come and go.
Soon after adopting Molly, Don had some serious health issues. He is doing better, now, but Melissa believes that it was Molly that helped heal Don. The timing of Molly’s adoption gave them a wonderful purpose and brought them great comfort and joy.
After four wonderful years with Melissa and Don, on December 28th Molly crossed the Rainbow Bridge. In a recent e-mail to Brookline, Melissa wrote about Molly and this loss. “It hasn’t been that long ago and it’s still hard for me to talk about her. Molly was one of the lucky labs rescued from the farm, but we were the lucky ones to have had her to love. Her time with us was short but it’s comforting to know that we were able to spoil her with love. Thank God for the Brookline volunteers that rescue these labs from the farm.”
There is a saying that reminds us that we don’t rescue a dog but that the dog rescues us. After 8 years in isolation, Molly just wanted to be with her people. Melissa and Don took her everywhere, but Molly’s favorite thing of all was coming back home: home to a safe, warm place with beds and blankets, and where she finally knew what it was like to love and be loved. It was a short life off the farm, but it was one lived to the fullest, and one that brought so much joy to those who knew her.
On that celebrated day of Molly’s rescue ride, Molly’s journey to a new life had just begun. What she didn’t know at the time was just how many lives she would touch, and how very much she would be missed. Godspeed dear Molly!
Brookline rescues breeder dogs of all ages. The sooner their rescue ride, the more time they will have in a loving home. Your commitment of as little as $10.00 a month will allow Brookline to rescue dogs, like Molly, from the harsh conditions of breeder farms, provide them with kindness and care, and adopt them into warm, loving homes.