A Dog’s Tale – Maggie
Here is one story of how a Frisco community rallied to rescue a Frisco stray.
“Maggie is quite popular here in Starwood,” writes owner Jennifer Blair. “She was first spotted on the on ramp of the Tollway at 121. Somehow she made her way into our neighborhood. While walking my dogs everyday for over a week, Maggie would come find us. She was always so happy and ready to play with her tail wagging. She would walk with us for an hour and then just ‘disappear’. She was so sweet and captured my heart. My family and I searched for her nonstop.
One afternoon Frisco Animal Services was driving around here looking for her. They couldn’t catch her so they set up a trap. It was so sad. My girls and I walked up to where she was because we wanted to get her before they did. We didn’t want her going to the shelter. The challenge was I was going in for surgery the next day in Houston. I’m a cancer survivor and this was a second round reconstruction. No big deal but I knew I had to recover for a couple weeks.
We were told to not interfere with their process and Maggie got stuck in the trap. My girls and I stayed with her until animal control got there. She curled up in a ball next to where I was standing next to her. It was heart wrenching.
We told animal control we wanted her and to not let anything happen to her until we could get her. They told us we needed to call Collin County Animal Services, the McKinney shelter. As soon as we got home from Houston, we went there. They were so busy that no one was answering the phone so we had to drive up there to find out if she was safe. When we arrived, we found her crate stacked on top of another crate in a hallway because they were so overcrowded. The happy puppy that was running around Starwood for weeks was now caged up in a terribly overcrowded shelter.
We talked to the woman at the front desk explaining that we wanted her as soon as she ‘did her time’ there. She was very nice but advised us that they they couldn’t guarantee anything. We drove up there everyday to see her and make sure she was okay. What a drive!
Finally, on Halloween, we were able to adopt her. She had just been spayed that day so she was a bit groggy. The next day, we knew she wasn’t doing well. I took her to our vet and learned she had pneumonia. The poor thing. She had been through so much. Fortunately, Maggie had about 200 comments and concerned neighbors on Nextdoor during her time on ‘the streets’. So many people reached out to help. Some even went to the vet and pitched in to pay for her $1,500 vet bill. Maggie truly brought our neighborhood together.
Fast forward—Maggie is the BEST dog. She is so sweet. At first she didn’t know how to go upstairs, she never barked, or jump on the furniture. She was definitely afraid of men. My other dogs have since taught her to bark and take over our sofa and bed. My husband has showered her with love and now she is relaxed with men around. She absolutely loves ‘little’ things, our kitten, and her fur sister Gracie who is a 10 lb miniature schnauzer.
She loves to cuddle and literally gives hugs. She comes when she’s called and LOVES to run. She is so fast. Multiple times a day she is sprinting around our yard with Gracie attempting to follow close behind! It’s so funny to watch.
She is such a blessing to us and I know we are to her. If she stayed in that overcrowded shelter, she would’ve been put down. A pit bull sick with pneumonia—she wouldn’t have had a chance. We can’t imagine our family without her. She fits right in and gives so much love. Thank you Frisco’s Pet Project for all you’re doing. CCAS is so overcrowded and in need of help. We are in 100% support having a center close by in Frisco.”
Thank you Jennifer for sharing your story with us. If all stray pups could be as lucky as Maggie. To support our mission and say yes to our pets, please sign our appeal here online and tell the City of Frisco to keep Frisco pets in Frisco at http://friscospetproject.org/say-yes-to-pets-form/