Destiny (now Tilly)

Great news! Destiny has found her forever love and forever home just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Cupid wasted no time; the arrows were flying, and hearts were swirling out of everyone’s eyes at the meet-and-greet. It almost became a sleepover because new parents Rick and Kathy didn’t want to let her go and Destiny didn’t want to leave because she was sound asleep at Rick’s feet! Already a daddy’s girl obviously, but going for the feet instead of the pinky finger.

But we do all things proper here and one must be legally joined before any of that sleeping together starts….so we rushed the papers to the authorities, received a formal blessing to proceed and back we came the next day to make it official, including flowers!

This little girl is so blessed to find Rick and Kathy. Rick served in the Army and is a Vietnam veteran. He is retired from the Mitsubishi Aviation/Aerospace industry. Kathy is a retired nurse serving in many areas of health care over her lifetime. They live in a beautiful gated community, on a ranch you could say, that includes golfing and a country club.

Rick and Kathy have owned several Bulldogs over the years and love them until the Lord calls them home. They recently lost their little girl of 9 years and have lovingly opened their big hearts to this precious dog who wants nothing more than to feel safe and be loved.

Destiny has come such a long way. Now Tilly (short for Matilda), she will be the princess she was always meant to be in her new home. She has a big cozy ranch home with a fireplace, covered patio, big yard, multiple beds to choose from, free delicious food around the clock, great health care and all the golf cart rides her heart desires.

Thank you, Rick and Kathy, for loving this sweet girl. She has deep soulful eyes and a pure heart full of true love and joy for you. Years of Bulldog bliss await you.

Thank you to everyone who was part of Tilly’s rescue, recovery and adoption. It takes a village! Happy trails and tails, y’all!

Some of these photos may be hard to accept, but unfortunately, this is the reality of dogs that are shamefully neglected. This is the reality of rescue. The Craigslist posting pitched something along the lines, “AKC-registered Bulldog for sale. Very sweet. Loves people and attention.”

The sweet young woman who saw the post was so excited. She loved her own Bulldog so much, and what could be better than one? Two Bulldogs!

But then she met 4-year-old Destiny … and she described the situation as shocking.

The dog had open sores and an infection dripped from her tail. She didn’t walk ~ she hobbled. The open wound on the side of the dog’s face was so painful, she could hardly stand to have it cleaned. The woman knew Destiny had more medical needs than she was prepared for, but there was no way she could leave the dog there. Not for one more day.

Destiny limped to her car, licked the woman on her face and somehow knew better days were ahead.

And then the wonderful woman contacted rescue, asked for help and drove Destiny to Dr. Larsen’s office. With tears running down her face, she knew she had made the right decision.

She hugged Destiny, told she loved her, and said she would follow her journey through rescue online.

The sweet young woman who brought Destiny to Lone Star Bulldog Club Rescue is named Destiny. That is how Destiny got her name, after the young woman who knew Destiny, the Bulldog, was worth saving.

7/28/20 Update: Destiny’s sores are drying up and she already looks so much better. The medicated baths are really helping. We may never know everything this girl has gone through to get in this shape, but we know she will get so much better with time and proper care. We also know one of her problems that contributed to her poor skin is that she has hypothyroidism. She will begin medicine for that.

Her poor tail is a mystery. Dr. Larsen says she has never seen anything like it. It is not the normal circular tail pocket. It is a large square. There is a ridge along the top that is almost hard like bone. Upon close examination, it looks like there are multiple tails or one was split. We don’t know if all this is the result of a birth defect or injury. She had the pocket packed and after it heals up, Dr. Larsen will consider what she can do surgically to improve the appearance and function.

In the meantime, Destiny is resting and enjoying all the pampering. She is staying in a ring in a part of the vet clinic where she will have more interaction with dogs and people.

10/12/20 Update: I came into rescue with horrible scabby skin and open wounds all over my body, not to mention an infected tail. OUCH!

I spent a few weeks at the clinic with Doc Larsen and her amazing staff getting some personal surgeries on either end of me. I think that’s a nip and a tuck? I was really infected all over and felt awful. I was so overweight, it hurt to walk and my open sores made it worse. Thankfully, I got some really good pain meds, antibiotics and lots of spa treatments!

After that, I was ready to move into my foster home! I moved in a little over a month ago. I know you haven’t seen me much and I’ve been kind of quiet, but I’ve been busy being a butterfly. Yes, a butterfly! TA DA! Look at me now … I’ve slimmed down, my skin is healing and I’m smiling. I’m feeling sooo much better!

My foster home is great! I have four fur siblings and a really sweet mom and dad. I love my foster parents so much, especially my daddy. It was true love when I met him! He picked me up, told me I was beautiful, whispered sweet words and started home cooking all my meals. He bought me pretty clothes and scarves … what more could a girl want? I am definitely a “daddy’s girl.” All I have to do is give him a pouty look and a few bully wiggles and I’ve got him wrapped around my paw!

I’ve settled into my new foster home very well. I learned pretty quickly where the door was to go potty, but I still wear pretty panties every now and then to keep me on the straight and narrow. Honestly, I think my foster parents just like dressing me up! I’m a very sociable and happy girl, maybe a little shy at first, but once I get to know and trust you, my wiggle doesn’t stop!

I’ve fit into the pack with all my siblings. I have a big, easy-going brother who’s a Great Dane. He’s awesome! I have an older Bulldog brother who’s blind, deaf and arthritic. I love cuddling with him. I have two Bulldog/Boxer sisters about my age. I get along pretty well with them too. The one gal is like me and has had lots of babies. She’s pretty reserved and I like that, but the younger, smaller one is a little more wired. I definitely don’t like that at all! It’s a workable civil relationship, but I told her straight up … she better calm down and not mess with me or I’ll pop her one. And you know what, it worked! She’s a chicken of me now! HA!

I am really happy and run to greet my foster parents when they come home! I love to go bye-bye in the car and I love to be outside. I walk well on a leash – I just don’t like to go far right now. It makes me tired! Most of the time my foster folks have me off leash and they tell me how good I am because I obey their commands. They say it’s funny when they ask me to sit because it isn’t far to the ground from my bottom! They think it’s cute, so I get treats anyways! I don’t care. I say give’m what they want. I’m very food motivated! I eat well with others and don’t bite the hand that feeds. I can usually be found in the kitchen, but follow my people most everywhere. I love to be with them!

I’ve weaned off a lot of meds. I’m planning on seeing a dermatologist in a few weeks for an assessment and recommendation on my skin issues. Doc Larsen has told me it’s probably partly allergies, overuse of steroids in my past, poor nutrition, infection and neglect that got me into trouble. We will see what the specialist says, but I can already tell the doc I’m better!

Stay tuned on more tales from my cocoon! Remember, I’m a butterfly now. Please don’t wait too long to apply or I may just fly away and you could be my perfect match!

11/20/20 Update: Destiny’s personality is coming out… Not only is she beautiful, she’s strong! Here is Destiny with alumnus Teddy (AKA Gravy). Not sure if interior design or body building is in her future, but she has a funny habit of rearranging the kennels, furniture and all the couch blankets when we aren’t looking.

12/24/20 Update: Our sweet foster Destiny got to meet Santa for the first time!! She was quite smitten with this magical man!

I’d say she loves him as much as her foster Dad! I’m pretty sure she asked Santa for her forever home … She certainly kissed him enough!

1/18/21 Update: I’m sporting my new fur coat, as you can see – just in time for winter! If you recall in the summer and early fall, I was nearly bald and had thick crusty sores all over me. I worried I’d never grow my hair back or ever feel well and beautiful again… but rescue and my foster family took me in and look at me now! I am BOOTYFULL! Amazing what love, good nutrition and TLC will do.

I saw a dermatologist in November and he said I looked like I did when I came into rescue because of overuse of steroids, allergies, my thyroid gland and neglect. But I’m healthy otherwise. I’m off my Synthroid and my labs look good! My foster parents ensure I get the spa time I need and give me antihistamines on occasion, but my allergies are under good control now.

I’m ready to find my forever home this year. That’s my number one New Year’s resolution because I’m not a fan of dieting! I’m a happy, wiggly girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. I’m very affectionate with my humans. I love to eat and play and nibble on their ears.

My perfect home is a home where I can be a diva, so I can have all your love to myself. In return, I will give you all my love forever.

I don’t mind my male foster fur siblings in my home right now, but I will say, I prefer the older, more refined kind of gentlemen (what woman doesn’t?) and size doesn’t matter! I like them big and small, from Bulldog to Great Dane.

Now fur female siblings? Well, I don’t know. I really don’t want to compete with them because I don’t trust them, no matter how nice they are. I just don’t want to share my humans, my food or my toys.

So, that’s the latest here. My foster mother calls me the little butterfly because I have transformed into such great beauty. I hear spring is not too far away. Perhaps I can flutter my way into your heart just in time for Valentine’s Day!