Dear John, 

When I saw Donatella at the city pound, her story melted my heart.

She’d been confiscated from a cruelty situation, every rib showing, her flat feet a sign that she'd spent most of her life in a crate too small for her. She'd made good progress at Chicago Animal Care & Control (CACC), but they're so crowded these days. I knew Donatella would have a better chance at PAWS.

A few days later, when I was planning to drive to our family's farm in Michigan, I stopped by our Medical Center to pick her up. I wanted to give her a couple of days in the country that would set her on a course for the happy life she deserved.

What a joy that was! I wish you could have seen her, sun-soaked, chasing butterflies, grinning ear-to-ear! 

All homeless pets have a special place in my heart, and Donatella was a perfect reminder of why. Watching her roll in the grass, I saw her sweet personality unfold.