Dear abusive owners,

Hello, let me first introduce myself. My name is Alyssa and in September of 2018, I was in search of a dog to be my emotional support animal. I have always been a huge fan of the pit bull breed and I know they are in need of rescuing so I visited the Humane Society of Huron Valley.

I distinctly remember the way she looked when I approached her crate. Defeated. Terrified. Underweight. Abused.

Although I could tell she hadn't been treated well and that she was scared, I noticed hope in her eyes when my boyfriend and I sat down on the ground beside her crate to talk to her. Her tail began to wag slightly as we told her she was a good girl.

They named her Nova at the shelter. It is a name that really fits her well.

I wasn't sure if I wanted Nova at first; however, I knew I wanted to get her out of the crate and take her on a walk. She looked so defeated that I wanted to brighten her day.

We received permission to take the dog you abandoned out of the small cage she was trapped in. Instantly, I noticed a change in her personality. The dog that was terrified in the cage became alive once outside on a walk.

She was so happy to be free; her tail was wagging and her head was high. She greeted all of the fellow volunteers on the walking path. When we sat on a bench to get to know her better, she lathered us in kisses.

We knew she was meant for us. I knew she would give me the emotional support I needed.

We adopted the dog you abused, mistreated, and abandoned and she is living one hell of an amazing life. On the first day we took her home, we ordered pizza and she got an entire slice to herself. She gets to sleep on our king-sized bed with us and lay on the furniture.

She eats treats, gets belly rubs, has an extended family of grandparents that love her, lays in the sun, and finally knows how to play with toys. She is one happy girl.

She came to the shelter as a stray, which I know you know. I don't know how she got there but I am ashamed of you for letting her go. How could you let the most loving, loyal, compassionate, and caring creature I have ever met go?

How, when you go to the shelter to verify she is there, do you say that you don't want her because she barks too much? I can count on my hands how many times she has barked since we adopted her.

I'm very ashamed of you for the way you treated my dog. I am frustrated that you didn't appreciate her and didn't see her worth. I hate you for abusing her.

But I also thank you for giving her to me. If you hadn't been such a terrible owner, I would not have such an amazing, loving creature in my life. I wouldn't get to wake up to a spoiled dog who gets ten minutes of belly rubs and kisses every morning. I wouldn't get as excited when I come home if she wasn't there to greet me. I wouldn't feel safe in the dark or at night. I would be lonely when my boyfriend was at work.

If it was not for you being a terrible person, I wouldn't have my best friend and she wouldn't have her forever home. So while I hate you, I thank you. I thank you for giving me the best gift a girl can ask for: a pupper.

Sincerely,
Nova's Owner & Best Friend