I adopted my adorable, energetic, Florida brown dog, Chloe, from
Dog-Harmony, Inc. in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida in November 2017. Chloe came to Dog-Harmony from another shelter due to overcrowding. Too many dogs are returned to the animal shelters, which are overwhelmed in northwest Florida and by necessity have high euthanasia rates.
New to the Panhandle area of Florida and looking for volunteer opportunities involving rescue dogs, I applied to Dog-Harmony. After meeting Chloe, I knew my life would change. I was in love with the exuberant, brown puppy and already wracking my brain to figure out how I could take care of a dog.
Dog-Harmony emphasized that there was no pressure to adopt Chloe at that meeting, and that fostering-to-adopt was an option. The most important thing was to take the time to make sure Chloe and I were a good match and that we had fun in the process of getting to know each other.
I have been happier than I have been in several years since I adopted Chloe, who has become my official office partner at Elevate Next. In fact, I started my own consulting firm due in large part to Chloe. I needed a work lifestyle that still allowed time with Chloe for training, socialization and adventures.
Best of all, Chloe has introduced me to an incredible network of dog-loving friends and colleagues. We both made great friends at the local dog park, and our favorite state park is Rocky Bayou, where Chloe loves to swim. I can’t thank Dog-Harmony enough for the opportunity to adopt Chloe, who has truly rescued me.