When I picked Bella up off the street in the small Thai town where I lived she had almost no fur, bloody scabs on her ears and was desperately thin. I had just learned to ride a motorbike and intended to take her to the vet for an injection to treat mange. To my surprise she didn't run away. After all the neglect and mistreatment she still had enough trust to let me pick her up and ride off down the road with her under my arm. We somehow made our way safely to the vet but it was closed. I couldn't take her back and put her on the street so I took her home, gave her a bath, food and began treating her mange. That was 6 years ago and I can't imagine life without her. We still struggle with a chronic skin condition that often leaves her looking pretty bad but to me she's the most beautiful thing in the world. We both ignore the looks we get as we walk proudly down the street. She thinks she's special and so do I!
Kelle Rivers
Mae Sot, Thailand
