Vida’s Story… and Her Hope It always hurts our hearts when a shelter pup comes to us and you can tell they were either abused or simply never treated kindly. Sweet Vida is one of those pups. She’s under a year old — likely only 8–10 months — and already carries fear no puppy should ever know. You can’t help but wonder… what could she have possibly done in her short little life to be treated so badly? Vida is very afraid of human affection. We’ve been letting her decompress at her own pace, giving her space, patience, and kindness. She has slowly started to come out of her shell, but with new people she’s still very unsure — even in this photo, her tail is tucked. We were going slow, letting her approach on her terms, and most importantly, respecting her boundaries. And here’s the beautiful part… When Vida feels safe, she does show her true colors. She absolutely adores one of our volunteers, and once she felt comfortable, she was running around the play yard with the biggest smile on her face — happy, playful, and free. That sweet puppy girl is in there. We see her. We know she wants to come out. All Vida needs is someone willing to go slow, someone patient and kind who will let her build trust at her own pace. And when you do… you’ll see just how truly beautiful this girl is, inside and out. Vida would truly benefit from a quiet, calm household to continue decompressing. A foster home could make all the difference for her — helping her learn that humans can be gentle, loving, and safe. With time, consistency, and compassion, we know this girl can heal and blossom into the dog she was always meant to be. She is too sweet to be defined by her past. Let’s fix this together. Let’s show Vida the love she so deeply deserves. Interested in fostering or adopting Vida? Please submit an application to: Healthyheartsproject.org/adopt A team member will reach out within 24–48 hours to schedule a meet-and-greet with our sweet little girl. Located 909 Martin Luther King Blvd., Warren, OH