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Gremlin’s Story:

Sometimes, a soul enters your life in a way that feels almost too perfectly timed to be a coincidence. Sometimes, the ones who need us the most are the ones who end up healing pieces of us we didn’t even realize were hurting.

That is exactly what happened with Gremlin.

Gremlin’s story began long before she came into my life. She was born in South Carolina as the smallest puppy in a large litter. During the birthing process, she suffered a devastating injury. It is believed that her mom accidentally injured her while trying to clean and care for her. The damage was severe, and shortly after birth, Gremlin’s back legs and part of her tail became necrotic and needed to be amputated.

The shelter staff were faced with an incredibly difficult decision. They had to decide whether to euthanize this tiny puppy or take a chance on her life by amputating the damaged limbs and tail, knowing that a special needs puppy like her would likely have a very difficult time finding a home in South Carolina. But they saw something worth fighting for. They chose life.

The shelter began reaching out to their transfer partners in the North, hoping someone would be willing to give this little girl a chance. At the time, I had recently stepped away from my position at the New Hampshire SPCA, but the transfer coordinator there was contacted about Gremlin and her siblings. With her huge heart and belief that every animal deserves a chance, she offered to bring Gremlin and all of her littermates to New Hampshire for adoption.

And that is where our story truly began.

A few weeks later, I received a message from the transfer coordinator. She sent me a picture of this tiny, 7-week-old pit bull puppy. The moment I saw her, my heart stopped. She had the exact same coloring and markings as my Soul Dog, Johnny, who had already   crossed the Rainbow Bridge. I was instantly drawn in. Then came the next part of her story. She told me that this tiny puppy was a double amputee and that there were concerns about what her quality of life would look like moving forward. The shelter team and veterinarians wanted to make sure she had the best possible outcome and that any decisions about her future were made with her happiness and wellbeing as the priority. I knew I needed to help. I offered to foster Gremlin so I could spend time with her, observe her, advocate for her, and get her evaluated by a specialized rehabilitation and physical therapy veterinarian. The NHSPCA was thrilled because they trusted me to help make the best decisions for her future. But little did any of us know…Gremlin had already made her own decision. She proved everyone wrong.

From the very beginning, she showed the world exactly who she was. She was resilient. She was feisty. She was fiery. She was confident. She was sweet, gentle, loving, and full of life. She never once looked at herself as broken. She never acted like she was missing anything. Gremlin bounced around, played, explored, snuggled, and lived every single moment with the same joy and excitement as any other puppy. She didn’t see her differences as limitations. She simply saw them as part of who she was.

And honestly… that has been one of the greatest gifts she has ever given me. She fit into our home and our family like she had always been here. It became clear very quickly that letting her go was never going to be an option. We fell hard for this little warrior princess. I truly believe Johnny had a paw in bringing her to me. If she hadn’t looked so much like him, I may have never stopped to look closer. I may have never known her story. I may have never realized that this tiny, special little soul was waiting for me. But Johnny knew. He sent me Gremlin.

And what is even more incredible is how much she has changed my life.

I live with many chronic health challenges and autoimmune issues that can sometimes feel overwhelming. There are days when the limitations my body has placed on me leave me feeling frustrated, discouraged, or even depressed. It can be hard to accept the things I cannot do the way I once did. But then I look at Gremlin. I see a puppy who has every reason to struggle, yet chooses joy every single day. I see a puppy who doesn’t focus on what she lost. She celebrates everything she has. I see a puppy who doesn’t view her disabilities as something that holds her back. She sees them as simply part of what makes her unique. And because of her, I am learning to do the same.

Gremlin reminds me every day to keep going. To keep pushing. To embrace my challenges instead of letting them define me. She has taught me that what others may see as a limitation can actually become a superpower. She is not a puppy who needs to be saved. She is a puppy who is here to teach. At only four months old, Gremlin has already touched so many hearts. Her journey began with uncertainty, but it has become a story of courage, resilience, love, and second chances. She was given a chance when someone could have decided she was too broken. And every single day, she proves that she was never broken at all. She was simply waiting to find her way home.

**Your donation below will go directly to providing Gremlin with the specialized care and equipment (custom wheelchairs and prosthetics) she needs to live her best life!**