A story of Christmas Joy

It is Christmas and time for a true story of Joy’s adventures and the assistance of a number of human angels. Only the dog’s name has been changed for privacy.

Hi, I am Joy and I have been asked to tell my life’s story as best as I remember.  Fortunately, I have a guardian angel who will help me.
It all started when a family acquired me as a fat, wiggly pup. They played with me until I lost my roly-poly look. Then I was sent outside and no one played with me any more. I barked and howled for attention. Suddenly I was picked up and placed in a car and driven to another town where I was left in a subdivision.
I was scared and confused. I didn’t trust anyone.  For three months I was able to elude the Animal Control officers, but one of them, my Angel No.1, (though I didn’t know it at the time) finally corralled me and took me to the animal shelter. I was terrified and took a whole month to accept the person, Angel No. 2, who cleaned my run and gave me food. Then Angel No. 3 arrived and walked up and down the aisle checking each kennel run.  Was I surprised and a little scared when a leash was snapped on my collar and I was taken to a car. What was going to happen to me?
The car stopped at a large group of buildings with lots of fencing.  I was taken out and introduced to a group of men.  Two of them talked to me and fed me yummy treats.
I learned that I had been selected for the Mutts with Manners training program at a prison and I was thrilled to stay there for nearly eight weeks. Fun and games and lots of attention, praise and treats, I loved all the men there, they were all angels to me!
All of a sudden I was taken away from this delightful place and spent a whole day at a pet store with an adoption area. I hid behind the man who brought me and wanted nothing to do with the strangers who came up to look at the dogs.
This man was an angel, too, since he took me home to foster, but I couldn’t get along with his dog, so I came back to Danville and stayed about two weeks at the home of the head of Mutts with Manners program, Angel No. 3. Then a lady from a neighboring town adopted me. It didn’t last long because the woman’s older dog resented me, so I was returned.
I stayed the next month with Angel No. 3. Suddenly, a man appeared at the house and asked to see me.  You know how I feel about strangers, well, for some reason, I didn’t consider him a stranger.  I was adopted by this man and we drove to his house on Joy Street.
So, Joy is now living on Joy Street and loving every minute of it. I am looking forward to a very Merry Christmas and I send best wishes to all of you for a Merry Christmas, too!