Love letter to a dog
Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln’s adoption update is the kind of pure happiness that makes you want to keep striving to Save Them All. Her story is one to look back on when times are tough, because it is a reminder that there really is a family out there for every pet. Even surly-faced bulldog mixes who have a reputation for not liking men.
When she entered Best Friends–New York’s adoption program, Minnie was her name. And she was a tough customer. She had been known to put on a most impressive show of barking whenever she met a new person who happened to be male. Months of training, patience, support and love led up to the day that changed her life. That was the day she got adopted — by two men. She’d finally overcome her fears enough to open the door to a new life, and a new home.
That was back in June of 2016, and her family recently sent the following update that’s just too good not to share.
Update on a happy dog adoption
"Luke Hogan here, one of Mary Todd Lincoln's (Minnie's) dads.
"I've been meaning to send you this update all holiday season long, but early January is the best I could muster! I thought you guys might appreciate some pictures of Mary Todd enjoying her new life. We can't believe we've only had her for seven months! From her first, ecstatic moments in our home, it was clear that she was a member of our family. The bonding was immediate and strong.
"Attached, you will find pictures of Miss Mary Todd hanging with us at home, and in our neighborhood. She's a bit of a star among our neighbors. People are always commenting on how pretty she is, and we rarely get through a walk without someone saying, 'It looks like your dog is wearing eyeliner!' We've met more neighbors than we even knew we had.
"Mary Todd is always up for an adventure. She was even recognized by Bernadette Peters as we left City Vet on the Upper West Side! We've been on road trips (she loves car rides) to Provincetown over the summer, and to St. Louis for Christmas. She does so well with our family and friends.
"We've found that if we hug and kiss a person at our front door when we first greet them, Mary Todd immediately wags her tail, and makes an instant friend. This makes it dicey when repairmen come to the apartment, because we can't exactly greet them like old friends ... so repairmen and delivery men make Mrs. Lincoln very nervous. But she's good at 'sit' and 'stay' so usually she stays calm.
"We know those 'sit' and 'stay' skills (and so many others) are due to you guys at Best Friends. She came to us so ready to be in a home; all three of us felt like we hit the jackpot. Honestly, she's such a good girl. So sweet and funny and affectionate. She loves being petted, and asks us to pet her at every opportunity, which is fine by us. We knew we had a lot of love to give a dog, and Mary Todd is a big girl with a big heart.
"From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for saving this girl, and for making the commitment to train her and see her all the way through to adoption. We know she had hurdles to clear, and so much hard work happened before we ever even met her. We truly believe that she was waiting for us until she was ready, and we were doing the same for her. Now that she's ours, we're making up for lost time, and doing our best to give her the happiest life possible.
"Please share this email with anyone else in your organization who had a hand in raising this extraordinary girl, and might enjoy a happy update.
"So grateful to you,
Luke and Nathan and Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln"
Photos courtesy of Luke and Nathan