Gidget Ann

Back in 2012, it was a normal day in a high admission animal shelter where I worked in Maryland. We worked closely with other rescues, staff and volunteers to save the most animal lives we could. Due to the unimaginable amounts of animals we took in yearly, we sometimes had to make difficult decisions. It was no secret that I loved animals. We all did and that's what brought us all together, to adopt out every adoptable animal and never have to put any to sleep for space.

Back then, I didn't have a preference, and I still don't. Anything or anyone who needs love, I offer to love them, because if I don't, they may never feel loved. The day was busy as usual, doing the best we could when a volunteer received a call from a family member who was traveling to Maryland from Pennsylvania. The family member informed her that he was driving down a major highway and witnessed someone throw a small animal out of the window. Being that the relative was an animal lover himself and was coming to the area where the shelter was, he pulled over and picked up the discarded pup. The volunteer then came and informed staff officially of the incident and that an animal was coming in that may have injuries from being thrown at a high rate of speed from a moving vehicle. When they told staff it was a small dog, the staff began joking around with me that my new dog was on its way in to the shelter. I loved animals so much and staff always joked around with each other that they should adopt another pet despite already having pets at home. Pets are like potato chips, you just can't have 1 right? The volunteer's relative walked into Intake, and the staff member working in Intake came to inform me that my new dog was there. I walked into Intake and saw the most beautiful puppy I had ever seen. She was shaking, but didn't appear injured. She was traumatized. She was a little blonde haired girl with big brown eyes. I immediately scooped her up and knew from that very second that I was her new Mom. I put an official Adoption hold on her and adopted her when she was made available.

I named her Gidget. In 2014, I got a call from my friend while I was at work who informed me that he couldn't find Gidget after letting her out in my backyard to use the bathroom. Panicked, I posted all over social media and even had a friend print me 1,000 color fliers to post all around the neighborhood. I immediately went home and with 5 others to spread those fliers all over the community. Someone had to see something. I had a offered a Reward so a few people immediately called claiming to have seen her, but none had actually picked her up. She was super friendly and would have went with anyone. The more hours that passed, the more worried I became. What if she was injured? What if a bad person had picked her up? I couldn't sleep that night. The next day came and still no sign of my sweet Gidget. My sister and her family were riding around the neighborhood calling Gidget's name for hours, while others were on foot. We had to find her. We just had to.

I got a call at around 11pm the day after she went missing from a gentleman who told me that he had seen a few kids carrying her the day before at the local laundromat trying to sell her. I asked if he knew the kids and he said no but he knew what street their family member lived. I agreed to meet the gentleman the next day so he could show me the house where he believed Gidget was. I walked up to the door and knocked. An older woman answered and informed me that Gidget was there yesterday but that her grandchildren sold her to a woman who lived a few streets over. Her grandchildren weren't home so she told me when they got home she would call me and let me know exactly who purchased her. I was skeptical, but decided to take her word for it. Her house wasn't far from mine so I went home and waited. Much to my surprise, when her grandchildren got back to her house they told her exactly where Gidget was. I rushed to the home where Gidget was and knocked on the door. An older woman came to the window. I explained the situation and she informed me that she didn't buy a dog. I felt hopeless. I told her that I was told that she had Gidget and that I would contact authorities if she wouldn't release her. The woman angrily came to the door yelling that she was not returning the dog because she paid for her. I saw movement in the downstairs blind and it was GIDGET! I called her name and she came running from the woman's house, past the woman's feet, jumping right into my arms. I had the amount of money that the woman paid brought to me during this exchange to buy Gidget back by my sister, since up until the woman who bought her told me, I didn't know how much she has paid. I was so filled with relief and joy of having my sweet Gidget back in my arms I had forgotten to hand the woman the money. She tried to grab her back from me! I turned my back to shield her from grabbing her and pushed the money in her direction. I had been keeping friends on Facebook updated regarding the recovery of Gidget. One of my friends reached out to a local news reporter who wanted to come and interview me about the whole fiasco. By the time he had gotten there, we did the interview and he went on his way. I'll never forget that day.

Gidget was adopted at almost 3 months old in 2012, and in 2022, she is still my loving, loyal companion. When a relative needed hospice care, she was also by my side helping me and my family. In August she moved to Florida with me from Maryland. She loves the beach and running after birds. I am in the healthcare field part time now and Gidget goes with me to a Memory Unit to spend time cuddling and loving on the residents there. She spends most of her time there with me and my hospice patient. Everyone who meets her falls in love with her. She is the sweetest girl I've ever known. I suffer from mental health issues and she's the only thing that has been consistent in my life who hasn't hurt me besides a few others and makes me want to stay. Every single day, she loves me unconditionally when I can't love myself and when I need her to help carry the emotional weight of my anxiety and depression on her little shoulders, she does so with a smile, a cuddle, and a wag. People ask me if I rescued Gidget and the answer is No. We rescued each other.