Sallie M. has been a life-long lover of dogs. Growing up on a farm in Virginia surrounded by canines, she couldn’t help forming a connection with them. Like humans, dogs often require more than love and care to flourish—they need companionship.

When Sallie adopted her dog, Paul, it was clear that although he loved his mom, he needed a furry friend. Sallie noticed how much Paul loved and sought out opportunities to interact with other dogs. The dog park is one of his favorite places to go. Though she wanted to adopt another pet, Sallie was suffering from some health issues, so Paul had to wait a little while for a new brother or sister. 

But as soon as Sallie was well enough to introduce another dog into the family, she and Paul immediately headed to the ASPCA Adoption Center. This is where they first met Juliet.

Juliet’s Journey

Juliet had been rescued by the New York Police Department (NYPD) from an allegedly abusive situation and brought into the ASPCA Animal Recovery Center (ARC) for assessment in July 2018. After some time to heal, she was then moved to the ASPCA Canine Annex for Recovery and Enrichment (CARE) until she was ready to start looking for her new loving home at the Adoption Center. 

During her time with us, Juliet was a star! She was described as a social, happy girl who loved meeting new people and spending time with gentle dog friends. The 3-year-old pit bull-mix had a history of trauma, but her bright personality outshone her past.

A Sweet Meet and Match

“My greeting with Juliet was perfect,” recalls Sallie. “She and Paul adored each other from the first second of their introduction. Juliet is a wonderful, angelic sweetie pie!”

In November 2018, Sallie made the adoption official, and from the start, Paul and Juliet were smitten with each other. As Sallie expected, Paul was extremely happy to have a new dog buddy. But Paul and Juliet are more than just friends or companions—they are now family. 

“To this day, there has never been one growl uttered by either dog. They also do such unusual things such as simultaneously drink water from the same bowl even though I have numerous water bowls available,” Sallie tells us. “I've even seen each of them lick the other's face.”

Life for the small family is better than ever, and Sallie remains proud of her two dogs. 

“Paul, is much happier and more content, as am I,” she says. “We three are an extraordinarily happy and loving family!” 

It seems that for sweet Juliet, leaving behind a dark past was just another step toward finding something better than even Shakespeare could have written about—a loving family and a happy ending.