Faline was so small and fragile when rescuers finally reached her that she barely seemed real.
She was a trembling little stray, scared of the world around her, and one of the Keilbach sisters worried she might not have much strength left. Getting near her had taken patience, not pressure.
For more than two weeks, the sisters kept trying to coax her out of hiding. They gave her space. They gave her time. They let her move at her own pace.
Even after Faline was finally safe, she still carried that fear with her.
She stayed watchful, kept her distance, and reacted carefully to every movement around her. Trust did not come all at once, so the sisters offered the only things that could truly reach her: gentleness, steady reassurance, kindness, and patience.
Slowly, Faline began to believe them.
But giving her safety was only the first step. The sisters still had to find the family that would truly be right for her, and they refused to give up on that. Their determination kept them going until Faline’s story finally reached a much happier place.
Faline’s Rescue On The Island Of Saipan
Faline came from Saipan, the largest island in the Northern Mariana chain, where adopting rescue dogs is a particularly difficult task.
“She was extremely shy, extremely wary of us, but you could tell that she just wanted to be loved,” Grace Keilbach, from Boonie Babies Saipan, told The Dodo.
She was one of the island’s “boonie dogs,” a unique group descended from the war dogs left behind during World War II. After the war ended, many of those dogs either vanished or were abandoned.
Years of isolation and mixing between breeds had produced a remarkable variety, blending traits from bloodhounds, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Labradors, and German Shepherds into this local population.
“Today, the distinct breeds in the genepool are nearly unrecognizable in these dogs as the isolation, crossbreeding, and diversity of the dog population has made Boonie Dogs their own “breed”, American Village Dogs, coming in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors,” says on the rescue’s website.
The moment Faline settled into the sisters’ home, there was a subtle but unmistakable shift in her demeanor, as if she suddenly understood that she was safe and could finally let her guard down.
“On Saipan, it’s not easy to get dogs adopted, and we were so in love with this dog that we knew she needed the best home possible,” Grace Keilbach said.
With their youngest sister’s birthday approaching in Colorado, the idea occurred to the Keilbachs that perhaps the perfect home for Faline might be right in their own family.
Transporting her to the U.S. mainland presented a whole new set of obstacles.
A Long Journey Toward Colorado And Family
It took nearly six months to coordinate a flight, since leaving the island was far from simple. Meanwhile, no one on Saipan had come forward to adopt her.
Finally, a seat became available for Faline, and she made her journey to Colorado.
“That morning, we literally had tears in our eyes. That was a super exciting moment for us because that is the first time that we were ever able to get a dog off island. We were just so excited and couldn’t believe that it was actually happening,” Aria Keilbach told The Dodo.
She arrived timid at first, hesitant in the unfamiliar surroundings, but quickly began to relax and explore her new home.
Now fully part of the Keilbach family, she is lavished with attention, particularly from Ava, the youngest sister.
“She’s just so sweet. It’s so awesome,” Ava said.
Her days are filled with walks, play sessions, tasty treats, and endless affection. At last, Faline has discovered the joy and comfort of a loving home.
“Other Boonie dogs are not as lucky as Faline. When we first sent her to the States, we were hoping that she would be the first of MANY, but unfortunately she was the first and last for a while,” the Keilbach sisters wrote.
Thousands of other dogs remain on Saipan, longing for families, and the sisters continue their relentless work to help them.
Support their efforts and everything they fight for. Here’s how to get involved with Boonie Babies!