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Shannon Broda, 8, of Souderton, hugs her new puppy, Colby. Photo by SAMANTHA INMAN |
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Shannon Broda, 8, of Souderton, had experienced some health problems that her doctors could not fully diagnose. After a number of tests to determine what was causing her headaches, bloody noses and temporary blindness, Shannon felt fragile and scared, and her doctor recommended that getting Shannon a puppy might be good for her self-esteem. After a year of looking, Shannon's parents Mary and Chris Broda found the perfect dog for Shannon, but it turned out that Colby, their new poodle mix, needed Shannon as much as she needed him.
Colby was rescued by the Brodas less than a month ago, and it has taken every bit of that time for him to realize that his difficult young life is a thing of the past, and that his new family and his 8-year-old owner will love him unconditionally. In that same time, Shannon has found a sense of purpose - taking care of her new friend.
"At first he was shy," Shannon said about Colby. "But now he's playful and likes to be held."
Colby's story began when he was found during a Gloucester County raid that turned up 28 dirty, sick and mentally scared puppies being kept illegally in a Franklinville, N.J., basement.
The dogs had come from puppy mills, Mary said. Before they were rescued, the dogs had been shoved in cages seven at a time, covered in their own waste and many of them were sick.
Some of the dogs had to be rushed to the veterinary intensive care unit, Mary said, and a few did not survive.
Colby was one of the lucky ones. He did have a recurring cough, but was otherwise physically alright. His mental state was another issue all together.
"He was really frightened, especially of men," Mary said about Colby's first days with the family. "But now he just loves people. He's a cuddle bug."
Before Colby made it to the Brodas' home, he was sent to the Columbus Central Veterinary Hospital, and then to the Burlington SPCA in New Jersey.
Mary Broda heard about the sad puppies from a friend at work that had a relative who had been a part of the bust. The Brodas had been looking for a dog for Shannon, and so they decided to take a chance, and make the trip to New Jersey.
Shannon's parents did not tell her why they were going on the trip, but she said that she had a pretty good idea that they were on their way to get her a puppy - which they had been promising her for a while. When they pulled up to the building and saw dog cages outside, Shannon was sure why they had made the hour-long drive to New Jersey.
The Brodas adopted Colby on April 23, three days after the raid, but he had already had a number of potential adopters come and look at him. The rescue league was not satisfied that these potential owners would be a good match for the fragile young dog, and so they were still seeing people when the Brodas made the trip, Mary said.
The match between Colby and Shannon, on the other hand, was perfect, Mary said. There were two other dogs, but Colby came right up to Shannon and they were instant friends.
"He basically chose us," Mary said. "He was the one that took to us."
When Shannon and Colby met and connected for the first time, the emotions of the moment moved her to tears.
"I started to cry," Shannon said. "I was really glad."
The rescue league workers were so overwhelmed by the moment, that they agreed that Shannon and Colby were a match made in heaven. She took the puppy home, and they have been best friends ever since, Mary said.
"They do everything together," Mary said.
The connection between Shannon and Colby is a bond that only a little girl can have with a puppy, but Shannon is not the only one in the Broda household who has become attached to the little white dog.
The Broda's Newfoundland Mingus and Labrador Jeter have also formed a bond with the new dog in the house.
"The three of them are always lying together," Mary said. "They look like an Oreo because the two big dogs are dark."
The tearful meeting between Colby and Shannon meant a lot to her parents. The Columbus Central Veterinary Hospital was also moved by the outpouring of emotion, and has asked Shannon and Colby to be present at a June 1 fundraiser in Burlington, as well as be a poster child for the organization.
"We're ecstatic, and really supportive," Mary said. "We're really excited for her."
Since Shannon and Colby met, Colby has made massive improvements, but Shannon's mom has also noticed an improvement in her daughter.
"She's been more secure in herself and felt more grounded," Mary said. "It's given her a center and a purpose, and she is very proud of how it's all come about."
Shannon is looking forward to the opportunity to help get other dogs like Colby as good home, Mary said.
Shannon and Colby were both in need of something when luck brought them together. They needed a boost of confidence and a stabling force, and for one little girl and her little white dog they were perfect for each other.
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