To the moon and back.

Finding Luna (who was previously named Roxy) was no stroke of luck. One night on a walk home from being out having a drink with a friend in Surry Hills, Sydney, I came across a sad and clearly neglected dog wandering aimlessly through busy inner-city streets. It seemed that she had just had a litter of puppies, and perhaps even more heartbreaking was that she was dumped, like trash, in a terrifying new environment full of danger. This stray dog was lost, and I can still feel the terror that she felt. Her nails were like talons, having not been clipped. Her ears were bloody. Her skin dry and flakey. She waddled up to me, and looked me in the eyes and asked me for help. She let me take her home so I could feed her and keep her warm for the night - and it was made very clear she had not been shown any kindness for a long time. In NSW, if a stray dog is taken to the pound and the owner does not claim their dog, they become the property of the pound. Due diligence by the folk at the pound meant they had to contact the owners who had treated her as trash - "we gave that thing away years ago". Those seven words have rung clear in my mind ever since the woman at the pound told me over the phone what her previous owners had said about her. She is not a 'thing' or a possession. Now, when I found Luna, I was not at all equipped to have a dog - but that's the beauty of this story; nothing made logical sense, but gave that gut feeling when you know it's what you have to do. Two weeks passed, and after a visit to the pound to check in on her, it was official. She was my new best mate with a brand new name that seemed fitting. Unfortunately Luna clearly lived a life as a breeding dog, and the scars on her face and sunken black eyes told a story of pain and angst. Her anxieties were something I could never have been prepared for, but giving her the space and time to rest and just 'be a dog' again has allowed her to heal, recover and bounce back. She is my world. The brightest light on my darkest days. I have shaped my life around her, and meeting her sparked a passion for rescue that has opened new career opportunities and introduced me to so many life long friends. I told her when I adopted her that she would be safe, and that I would make the res of her days as happy as I could. She's just turned 12, and is enjoying her golden years by my side. The funny thing about 'saving' Luna was that she doesn't and won't ever realise how difficult adopting a dog has made things for me (like applying for a house to rent and live, or planning holidays, or grabbing coffee with friends) - but that is exactly how it should be. She makes the superficial things in life seem less important and has told me to focus on relationship that fulfill your heart and soul. She deserves nothing but love and compassion. Ironically, she was the one who 'saved' me, and has pulled me out of deep, dark holes countless times. Meeting Luna on a cross road - on a full moon - at midnight - was a sign; we were meant to be together and destined to tackle life as a team. I only wish that everybody could find their Luna in life, and to learn the true meaning of life - compassion.