Sage aka Chicken

sage, close, soulful eyes

Mom and I were both crying so hard. Mom is still recovering from Long Covid. She’s on disability now with continuous oxygen so she can’t work. We BOTH count on our sweet girl to get us through. What mom says is true. The kindness of strangers has given us hope. You are amazing and wonderful people. Thank you for saving our family. You are saving Sage but you are saving us too.

I have had a REALLY hard time since me and my Mom survived the May, 2019 tornado. I have nightmares about us losing our house. I can’t help being anxious and depressed.

Without the familiarity of even my house to hang on to, I needed an anchor. I did my research and approached my mom about getting an emotional support dog. I just knew that having a cuddly best friend always by my side would be the lifeline that would get me through.

01 sage puppy, lena, use (1)

At first, Mom wasn’t too keen on the idea but ultimately she said she’d do anything to help me. I watched tons of dog training videos and searched out a Golden Retriever since they seemed like they had the steadiest personality.

I picked out Sage because she was the calmest puppy. I named her Sage because it’s one of my most favorite colors. Though almost immediately I started calling her “Chicken” cuz she reminds me of a chicken nugget. Hey, we all have cute names for the ones we love, right?

There is nothing better than being greeted by Chicken every time I come home! She makes me feel safe. She lays next to me or Mom on the couch and places her head on our leg. Mom says her soft silky fur creates an inner peace. Sometimes, I pet her until it feels like my arm is going to fall off.

Oh, and when I cry, she licks away my tears. She doesn’t distract me by talking. She just comes over so I can hug on her—for as long as I need. She’s just what I need.

sage, mom with O2, use
sage, orange monkey, cute

Chicken is smart and she’s funny too. Like when she tries to get in the bathtub with me. Or when she carries her “treasures” around the house. Her favorites are my socks—always four pairs at once-- or mom’s house slippers. She never damages them. She just transports them.

My world was destroyed when she jumped off that wall and tore both her ACL’s. She was whining and she could barely move. I knew we couldn’t afford the surgeries to help her and I was sure we’d have to put her to sleep.

Mom and I were both crying so hard. Mom is still recovering from Long Covid. She’s on disability now with continuous oxygen so she can’t work. We BOTH count on our sweet girl to get us through. What mom says is true. The kindness of strangers has given us
hope. You are amazing and wonderful people. Thank you for saving our family. You are saving Sage but you are saving us too.
~Sage (Chicken)’s Family

sage, family, christmas, cute