“She was shut down, lying flat against the ground, and tucked into a corner in a heavily overcrowded and very loud shelter.”
This is how Laurette Nicoll, a foster, an animal transporter, and a volunteer for Hope Ranch Animal Sanctuary in Southern California, described Trinity — a terrified German Shepherd puppy that she encountered in the shelter.
“Those soulful eyes captured something in my heart, and I knew I couldn’t leave her there.”
Thanks to good-hearted people like Laurette, a lot of animals in those shelters get a second chance in life… now it was time for this extremely terrified pup that captured her heart with just one look.
No one could stay indifferent to those terrified eyes…
That day, Laurette was on a mission to transport two other dogs to their foster homes, as they were on the pending euthanasia list.
As she is a huge dog lover, she decided to walk to the kennels, and just say hello and give some love and attention to all those other dogs in the shelter.
While walking around those kennels, she saw this tiny baby German Shepherd who just laid there. One look at her big eyes was enough for Laurette to immediately fall in love with her.
“You’re coming home with me”, said Laurette, and that was it.
She didn’t expect to bring another dog to her home, as she already had 5 of her own, but by seeing this baby so terrified, she knew she had to do something.
Trinity was so scared that they had to carry her out of the shelter like a baby because she wouldn’t walk out on her own.
“For the safety of my pack, and hers, she was given space in my quiet bathroom to decompress. Seeing how stressed she was hurt my heart, so I sat on the floor for hours without invading her space to let her know she was safe.”
At first, she wasn’t moving at all and wouldn’t eat her food, but then Laurette brought in really good, wet food, and she finally ate it all up.
The next day, Laurette brought her outside, but Trinity still wouldn’t move. Even when she put her on the grass, she just fell flat on the ground.
“Frozen in fear, she ended up lying down in the wet grass, so I sat down next to her and hoped that by talking and petting her gently, she knew her past was behind her”, Laurette recounts.
But, then Laurette had an idea. She brought out her youngest puppy, Topaz, into the yard to meet Trinity. She hoped that by introducing her to Topaz, she would be able to spark happiness for her.
Amazingly, it did exactly that.
“Immediately, she started opening up and blossoming. She seemed so excited to have new friends that understood her better than me,” Laurette says happily in the video.
She then brought all her pack outside, and it was just heartwarming to see all of them playing. Everyone was so understanding of Trinity, and she just fell in with the pack. Trinity finally knew she was in a safe place.
“She BLOSSOMED, and we all went for walks together. She wrestled, chased, and played with such zest… I trusted she was going to find the ability to heal.”
Trinity even started to trust Laurette, ask for belly rubs, and show her some love, which was amazing progress.
Trinity completely transformed from a terrified little baby to a playful and confident puppy that was ready for her furever family.
“One of my really good girlfriends saw the photo that I posted of Trinity, and she called me immediately, and she said, ‘I just know that this dog is meant for us’.”
When Laurette brought Trinity to her new family in Southern California, it was like she belonged there from the beginning.
“She seemed to be the missing puzzle piece for that family. It was one of the most amazing meet and greets that I have ever done, and it was a three-hour happy cry fest because we were so excited about how well Trinity was adjusting”, she recounts that touching moment.
Trinity was finally home and she wasn’t alone. She had her new pack with whom she could play, wrestle, run around, and be the happiest little girl she deserves to be.
Trinity is now called Retta, and she is big and the most beautiful puppy ever.
Laurette says that every time she gets updates from Retta’s new family, her heart wants to explode.
“This is exactly why I do what I do, and this is why I will continue to fight for these lives because they are absolutely worth it.”