Abby's wonderful story

Today's blog entry is guest-written by my wonderful friend Abby. Abby puts so much of her time and even more of her heart in AAI! The organization is what it is today in part thanks to Abby's amazing support!

My name is Abby and I am an animal rescue addict.  My story begins with Tom.....

Tom was an extremely malnourished pup rescued from Tanzania.  On February 2, 2012, I made my first donation to Animal Aid International to help this sweet boy and my life will never, ever be the same.

I remember lying in bed, winding down at the end of another busy day, flipping through Twitter on my iPad and snuggling with my own sweet little rescue pup, Marley.  Somehow, I truly believe it was fate, I stumbled upon a post from @AnimalAidIntl mentioning their sadness of losing a member of their family recently, Buddy, a beautiful husky.  I could not hold back my own tears for their loss and expressed my sympathy through a tweet.  There, the conversation continued for a little while.  I learned more of Bilyana's story, where her passion came from, how much she had been through and how anxious she had been starting up Animal Aid International in the hopes of saving precious lives and making a difference all around the world.  I was in.  Hook, line and sinker. I knew I had to be a part of this cause.  I knew in my heart that this had been what I was supposed to do for all my life.  I donated to Tom the very next morning and I am proud and honored to say that many, too many, have come after Tom and I have been lucky to be a part of their stories as well.  Some have lived, some have died.  Each and every one has been so worth it.

Some of you I know personally and through this amazing world of rescue.  Some of you I have never met, yet are closer to me than some people I have known all my life.  Some may know me as Bilyana's partner in crime, her co-admin, her American sister from another mister.  Most of you will have no idea how much we rely on each other, comfort, complain, pout, laugh and cry together, how much we try to understand the cruelties in this world and how we have to remember to keep on swimming, no matter how rough, how horrifying and how heart wrenching it gets.  She has been there for me personally and professionally and seems to always know exactly what to say to brighten my day.  I am a better person because of knowing her and because of being able to be a part of Animal Aid International and her vision of making the world a better place.  She has helped my world be a brighter and more beautiful place.   

We cannot win them all.  We cannot even begin to win them all.  But what I can do is know that animal rescue and advocating works.  It saves lives.  And the ones we are able to save make the tears we have shed losing others along the way a little less painful to recover from.  We have always got to try.  I feel better knowing that even ones who cross the rainbow bridge far too soon at least have a name, have known love if even for a moment and will never ever be forgotten. 

I will always do whatever I can, whenever I can, for as long as I am able to.