Freya - Our 6th Dog of Christmas

2025 HOLIDAY MATCHING FUND

"12 Dogs of Christmas - Freya"

"I am so happy to meet you and very happy to be Number 6 in the 12 Dogs of Christmas series. My name is Freya. Do you know what Freya means? A Lady, Noble and Strong. I wish I felt strong right now, but I don't. I wish I had known why I was in the shelter months ago. No one told me why they were leaving me there. They didn't tell me what I did wrong. Why didn't they tell me so I could fix it? It was such a scary place. I was nervous, and my heart hurt. My eyes hurt too. Maybe I had cried too much. I wish I could have been strong. 

I still don't know what I did wrong, but I learned what rescue means. Someone rescued me. They weren't my family. My family didn't come back to get me. It was a stranger, someone who didn't even know me. They wanted to help me.  I didn't know what a foster home was either, but the stranger took me home. My heart felt big, like it would burst. I never felt that before. I think it was a good feeling. I felt like someone cared. But my eyes still hurt.  

When she got me home, my foster mom took me to the doctor to see why my eyes hurt. They took blood, too. I was strong then. I didn't cry. They said I had an infection that no one had bothered to treat before.  I wonder if that's why my eyes hurt? Did my family know? Maybe that's why they left me. The doctor gave me medicine to help. 

My foster mom helped me so much. I wasn't as scared when I was with her. She helped me feel safe. Sometimes I felt a little bit strong when I was with her. When they thought my eyes were healed, I got to go to be with all the other dogs at the Ranch. That's where people get to come and meet dogs.  I thought I could be brave and strong, but it was so hard. I didn't know the humans. Everyone looked at me with sad eyes. I didn't know why. I could hear them talking, asking, 'What had happened to me? What had someone done?' I didn't know what to say. My family never told me what I did wrong.  I wish they could have told me. I still miss my family.  I would have been a good girl. Were they afraid of my eyes? Why did they leave me?

At the Ranch, I watched the other dogs with the humans. The humans were their friends. I learned they were volunteers who chose to come to visit us every day just because. 'Just because' is a very good reason. We bark at each other, and we decided it is the best reason. Their friends would bring a leash and walk into their daycare kennels, and then they would go for a walk. 

One da,y someone came to my kennel with a leash. I tried to be strong. I really did.  I knew they were a friend, but I didn't know them. I ran to the back of the kennel to hide, but there was no place to hide. I didn't want them to catch me.  I was so surprised when they just sat down on the floor. They didn't say a word.  They looked at me with kind eyes, and they didn't look away when they saw mine. I lay on the floor too and watched.  I don't know how long it was, but it seemed like forever. Then they told me everything was going to be okay, and they quietly opened the door and left. 

The Ranch wasn't as scary as the shelter. The other dogs made me feel safer, but I was so afraid of the strangers. They brought me food and water. They even brought me a bed and toys. A strange thing started to happen then. I met a man. He was a volunteer, too. He came into my kennel, and he sat. He spoke softly with kind words. I stayed in the back of my kennel while he stayed in the front. Each day that he came to my kennel, he did the same thing. One day, I decided to come closer to him. I walked close enough for him to touch me, but then I ran back to lie down again. I could see that he smiled. I think he smiled because of me. He said something about baby steps, that I was a good girl. It has been a while now since I met that man, the one with the kind eyes and the soft words. That man is my friend and my teacher. Because of him, I am learning to trust other volunteers. They come to my kennel and hand me a treat, and they smile.  They bring a leash, and I bounce with joy, and they smile. They are so happy. I am glad that I can make them happy, and then we go for a walk. I am glad that they come to visit me every day just because. They tell me I'm safe now. 

I heard someone talking about my eyes. I thought my eyes scared them, but they didn't. They were concerned. They said I needed to go back to the doctor. I wondered why my eyes were hurting again. I'm glad they cared. I wasn't used to someone caring so much for me. When they took me to the doctor, the doctor said that my infection had come back. It was a serious infection, and the medication before hadn't killed the bacteria. I don't know what bacteria are, but I know my eyes were hurting again. I have more medicine no,w and my eyes are getting better now.

I met a dog too. We didn't just meet on a walk. We both got to go into a big play yard together. His name was Dean. We introduced ourselves, the proper way. After all, I am a lady. And then we ran and chased and ran and chased some more and wrestled. Oops. I forgot I was a lady. I ran like the wind. I couldn't believe how good it felt. I had been afraid for so long. I had forgotten what it felt like to be happy. I was happy and ready to be adopted.

I had watched other dogs meet their new families. We can see everything that goes on. They always looked so happy when they walked away. There were lots of hugs and kisses.  My friends told me that my forever family would be there soon. I keep watching and waiting. Each day I watch the sun set and hope the next day comes soon. I know my family will come tomorrow. But they didn't. I just kept thinking, Why not me? 

I asked myself each morning, Why not me? But in my heart, I knew. I could hear the pity as people walked by. I could sense their hesitation as they stopped for a brief moment and then walked away. Yes, in my heart I knew. I tried to smile, hoping that they could see how beautiful my smile is, hoping that they would take a moment to see the beauty on the inside.  My eyes will never be normal. When someone should have taken care of me, they didn't. My eyes are the scars I bear for their neglect.  The scars on my heart, those are the scars I bear because of the careless act of abandonment. 

My heart can be healed. I know my forever family will come for me someday, and my heart will be whole again, but the scars on my eyes will remain. I hope that someone can look beyond those scars and see the noble, strong lady that lives within.  Until then, I will smile. It helps me feel beautiful."

The Holiday Matching Fund helps us help dogs like Freya. We get so many dogs just like her throughout the year, dogs who have medical needs that were left untreated for so long. It is only through your generosity that we can care for those dogs and help heal those conditions and heal the broken hearts. 

From now until January 1, 2026, each dollar you donate up to $65,000 will be matched. It is a huge goal, one that we are hoping beyond hope that we can reach. 

We would like to thank everyone who has donated already. You are the reason Freya is with us today instead of a forgotten soul who never made it out of the shelter alive. For everyone thinking of donating, please help if you can.  We know money is stretched thin these days.  If you have just $10 that you can spare, know that every dollar you give is so appreciated and will make a difference in a dog's life. Through many, we can help one. Can you be one of those many who donate $10 and become the group of angels that helps that one dog who needs you in 2026?  

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