Poppy - Life AFTER Puppy Mill Cruelty
Animal Stories from All-Creatures.org

FROM Dar Freeman
December 23, 2020 Facebook post

I'm just sorry Poppy had to go through such hell for so many years before learning what it felt like to be a dog who was loved.

Poppy

To those of you who knew and loved him and to those of you who wish you had, I had to let little Poppy go this past Saturday. Megan and I are beyond heartbroken but we're not alone. Nearly everyone who knew Popcorn, loved him.

Poppy spent his first eight years in a cage at a Missouri puppy mill being used to breed litter after litter after litter in spite of severe deformities to his legs. As the deformities worsened and he was no longer able to breed, he was auctioned off to another puppy mill owner. Once that owner realized Poppy couldn't make him any more money, he dumped him at a shelter. He was a handsome little guy so he was adopted fairly quickly but, when his disability worsened further and he was unable to walk, his "family" dumped him again at a shelter. They were going to euthanize him but a rescue jumped in and pulled him hoping they could find him a home.

But, even they gave up on him when no one jumped at the opportunity to adopt a disabled dog. They then made an appointment to have him euthanized. Thankfully, I found Poppy before that appointment took place.

I won't lie, it took Popcorn a long time to trust me. He'd been treated so badly for so long, trust didn't come easy to him. I knew there was a chance he may never come around but he did, in little ways. He never did play with toys but just recently he started crawling up to me while we were lying down, and rubbing his head on me, on my shoulder, on my face, on my head. Then he'd pull back real fast and it'd look like he was smiling. He was proud of himself and this Mama was so proud of him too! That was a huge step for Poppy.

I can't tell you the joy this little boy has brought to my life and to the lives of the people who loved him. I'm just sorry he had to go through such hell for so many years before learning what it felt like to be a dog who was loved. He was thrown out repeatedly for not being good enough. I think he was perfect and I'd give anything at all to have him back. Megan and I miss you Bitty Bear - so, so much. ❤

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