Ava Gardner (now Chibi)
6/16/26 FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS ~ Fair warning: You may want to grab a box of Kleenex before you start reading.
Settle in for a few minutes and meet Chibi…. a dog who will never be forgotten and who became Parker’s “heart dog.”
For those of us in rescue, stories like this are why we do what we do. We save a dog’s life, hoping they’ll find a loving home. What we don’t always get to see is the incredible ripple effect that follows. The way one dog can touch countless hearts, create lasting memories, bring people together and change a life forever.
Chibi’s journey is a beautiful reminder that rescue isn’t just about saving dogs. Sometimes, the dogs end up saving us right back.
Parker recently shared this memoir and collection of photos celebrating the remarkable life he and Chibi built together. It’s funny, heartfelt and deeply moving… a tribute to a beloved friend whose pawprints will remain on many hearts for years to come.
Thank you, Parker, for sharing Chibi’s story with us.
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I adopted Ava Gardner (now Chibi) back in 2020. She passed away about two months ago from a very aggressive cancer, and I’m still struggling deeply with losing her. She was my best friend.
I would love to share some photos of our time together to show the Lone Star Bulldog Club Rescue team how much her second chance at life meant to me and how grateful I am for the love and care you all gave her. I would also like Chibi’s 2020 foster mom to know that she has passed and to thank her for helping bring Chibi into my life.
A Memoir I Wrote for Chibi
Chibi loved to tuck herself under chairs, tables and beds. She always tried sneaking onto Stephanie’s side of the couch when no one was watching and eagerly stationed herself in the kitchen during cooking, hoping for dropped snacks. She would eat anything, adored treats and produced the funniest, yet deadliest, “pooft” farts.
Her walk had its own flair too, with a sassy sashay swing that was especially noticeable on stairs. However, if someone besides me tried to walk her, she would hold her ground and put her brakes on. There is a great video of Todd (my dad) trying to pull Chibi, a 30-pound Bulldog, with all his might, and he’s barely making any progress.
She twisted her body into odd shapes while sleeping, cuddled endlessly on the couch and snored relentlessly.
Chibi adored rides in the car. She would stop and stare at the Lexus GX, waiting for us to open the door so she could go on an adventure. She was the worst water drinker, dunking her whole head in the bowl and letting water stream from her chin everywhere.
As many found out, whenever you got your face close to Chibi, she would take a couple sniffs and then snort and sneeze in your face without fail.
Sometimes in Kentucky, we would be on the porch and close the gate so that she stayed in the yard. Her little face fit through the bars, and she would whine at us to let her onto the porch. It was so cute.
Chibi traveled across the United States: Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington. She experienced countless smells, places and people.
She loved the beach, especially Rosie’s Dog Beach in LA, where she bounced through the surf. Her first beach trip at North Padre left her covered in camping sand, happy as ever.
She adored kiddie pools too… splashing, jumping out and sprinting with pure zoomie energy. Funny enough, she also zoomied the same way after pooping, especially in her younger years.
She loved sunbathing on pavement in Kentucky and San Antonio, baking like a little potato in the summer heat. One of her favorite activities was lounging on the pontoon boat, letting the sun, wind and gentle rocking put her to sleep.
She even had her own life jacket, which thankfully did not need to be used when she once slipped into the Sepulveda Basin like a bowling ball. I pulled her out by her harness, and she was completely stoic, pretending she hadn’t just been several feet underwater.
On road trips, as soon as we entered a hotel room, she would leap into the chair and claim it as her bed, shedding her way across the entire route from Texas to California.
In the early years of Chibi and me, she was able to fly with me on airplanes. We were going home to Louisville, Kentucky, for Christmas one year and had to take a connecting flight. There were unfortunately no pet restrooms on the layover, so Chibi was basically on the move and flying for 12 hours.
She was extremely cranky on the second flight and growled at a flight attendant, which I found so funny because she was always so sweet. When we got off the plane, we made a beeline for the airport exit so she could pee and poop. We were fifty yards from the exit when she put the brakes on and pooped right there on the terminal floor. So close!
She was always part of our quarterly hangouts with Fabio and Tommy. She joined us whether we were off-roading, camping or just spending time together.
The last time we were all in Austin, Chibi had started having anal gland issues. As usual, she claimed her spot next to Tommy in the second row of the GX and proceeded to gas him out the entire ride. It was eye-wateringly bad and somehow made the whole trip even more memorable.
Chibi also went with me whenever I went shooting. Whether it was a competition or filming a YouTube video with Kyle, she would be there wearing her ear protection.
Wherever I went, she was right there with me.
Her favorite parks were Zilker Park (Austin), Coyote Dog Park (San Antonio), McAllister Dog Park (San Antonio), and Sepulveda Dog Park (Van Nuys). She also hiked all over Cherokee Park in Louisville, Kentucky, with my dad and me, able to walk forever as long as the weather was cold.
Chibi brightened the day of everyone she met. People were drawn to her instantly, so much so that strangers would stop traffic at Cherokee Park just to say hello.
During a BBQ in downtown San Antonio, Todd and I watched person after person come up to greet her. The same thing happened constantly when I took her to The Pearl. Once, we counted more than thirty interactions in a single hour.
On St. Patrick’s Day, when my mom visited the Riverwalk, Chibi once again became the center of attention.
Stephanie, my girlfriend, experienced the same thing. On one shopping trip, a woman nearly broke down in tears just looking at Chibi. Chibi had that effect on people.
Once at Cars and Coffee, the Lucid Motors staff photographed her—and only her—sitting in the Lucid Gravity, despite many other dogs being there. Chibi touched people, even the ones who didn’t expect it.
Stephanie’s mom, Annie, historically disliked dogs. She met Chibi only four times, but on the last visit, Annie petted Chibi, the first dog she had ever petted. When Chibi passed, Annie cried, something she had never done for any dog.
Similarly, Max Strull was unafraid of Chibi when he was frightened by most other dogs.
Chibi also brought life back into Cutter, who had been declining for years. When she stayed in Louisville in late 2025, he perked up. For the first time in three years, he would walk the neighborhood, but only if Chibi came too.
Chibi was Cutter’s only friend besides his late brother, Scooter.
However, even though Cutter liked Chibi, she wouldn’t always treat him with respect.
There was one funny interaction where Cutter was barking at another dog that was trying to be friendly with him and Chibi. Chibi body-slammed Cutter to get him to stop and then went and said hello to the new dog.
Chibi also loved taking Cutter’s bed (and other dogs’ beds). It was funny to watch Cutter realize he couldn’t do anything about it. Kristi had to shoo Chibi out of
the bed constantly.
Even most cats liked her. Logan Hoffman’s cat cuddled with her whenever she stayed over. At the Gurasich house, their cat once slapped Chibi on the head from above the bench—an indignity Chibi accepted in silence.
After she passed, Todd told me that his sister Tracy said she wished her own kids could someday love someone or something the way I loved Chibi.
Chibi was sweet with other animals and people. She hated bicycles, poles and trash bags.
Near the end of her life, she finally accepted that bicycles might be okay. Trash bags, however, never earned her approval.
At her final vet appointment, they were taking blood work, and she was lying very calmly on the table. She had not barked or made much of a sound for over 24 hours.
However, a vet tech shook a trash bag, and Chibi let out the most menacing bark, like she was back at full strength, nearly hopping off the table if the attending nurse had not held her back.
The entire room of twenty staff members froze, as Chibi had been the sweetest girl the entire time. You could hear a pen drop.
The nurse holding her initially thought she was reacting to another dog, but there was no dog there.
I had to tell everyone that she just had a personal vendetta against trash bags, and everyone started laughing.
She also had a mischievous streak. After a party at Legacy Creekside, she crawled onto the couch and sat directly on Aisling’s passed-out face.
The first time I met Chibi, I left without her, thinking that maybe getting a dog was not the right decision for me.
However, after a few days of thinking, I decided to go see her again.
Unknown to me, Lone Star Bulldog Club Rescue had already microchipped her to me. Even without knowing that, I still decided to bring her home.
I will never forget the confused look she gave me as she stared at me from the passenger footwell of the car, her head cocked to the side, wondering what we were doing and who this strange man was.
Chibi was unbelievably tough.
In the emergency room at the end of her life, the staff attempted an arterial blood draw. Multiple nurses and doctors tried, poking her more than fifty times, unable to find the artery through all her muscle.
The staff said most dogs can barely tolerate one poke.
A month before she passed, she climbed a mountain with Stephanie and me, keeping right at our heels despite her failing body, which was unknown to us at the time.
Even though she was so sick, she barely showed it.
She waited for me to return from Guatemala, holding on long enough to say goodbye.
I didn’t understand how sick she was. Not knowing the extent of her suffering will always hurt.
We knew her time had come when Stephanie cooked a feast of cheese, pork ribs, steak, blueberries, Korean pears, peanut butter and Reese’s, but Chibi wouldn’t eat.
Chibi taught me how to love someone more than myself.
I had been selfish before meeting her, but with Chibi, I bent over backward to show her the world and share her joy with others. One of my goals in life became taking her out in public just to make people smile.
She also taught me the beauty of stillness.
I used to crave high-speed hobbies and being on the move constantly. But sitting inside with Chibi, just holding space together, became one of life’s greatest pleasures.
I lived by the rule: if Chibi couldn’t go, I didn’t go—and I rarely broke it.
Dead trees are as important to the world as living ones. Just like them, Chibi’s presence remains with me.
My hope is that the softness she taught me continues so I can share it with others. She would want me to spread the love we gave each other.
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Ava Gardner got adopted today! She is so lucky to have found a home with her new dad. She also has a new mom and Bulldog brother who are long distance for a bit. She will be so loved and happy with her new family.
I finally have a name, not just a number. I’m finally with rescue, not another mill where we’re seen as simply numbers.
I am 2 years old, very petite (less than 40 lbs) and very shy. Before now, not many people were nice or loving to me, so I’m kind of nervous when I meet new people. I’m sure I’ll warm up to everyone soon.
In the mill, my dream was to have a family my whole life. Now my dream can come true. I was saved from the mill and now these volunteers will help me find the most fabulous home that’s perfect for me.
Last night, I carried a ball around in my mouth and played tug-o-war. Playing seemed kind of strange to me … in a good way. I love all other dogs, but I haven’t met a cat yet. More about me later. I have some lap sitting to do at Dr. Larsen’s. She going to just love me!
3/22/20 Update: I have been in my foster home for four days now and I am really liking this whole ‘having a home’ thing. I am just as cute as can be ~ I am petite and quite puppy-like. Everything is new to me, and I mean everything. But guess what? I’ve already mastered the stairs
Foster mom and dad are obsessed with something called ‘going potty’- and they really get excited when I do it outside. I’m working hard to make them happy, but with all of this rain, we have had, the wet grass isn’t nearly as inviting as my warm bed. I am a quick learner; however, so I am sure I will have it mastered in no time.
I get along great with the two resident fur siblings. One is even the famous Tory Burch (alumna) and a bigger Lab mix. Enough about me for now. Just know, I am a real lover and will be a great addition to any home!
3/30/20 Update: I got a new toy this week, and I love it. I actually got two toys, but this one is my favorite! I never had toys before I joined rescue, but now I can’t imagine life without something to keep me busy.
This is my second week here at Chez Rees and I really enjoyed the nice weather we have been having. My foster parents spent all weekend cleaning the pool and planting veggies in the garden. I won’t be partaking in either one of those, thank you very much. I am getting more and more comfortable and really like my foster siblings. I even snuggle with them when they let me.
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