I still remember the moment I first saw her, I chased her trolley through the airport, and kept calling her new name: "Stella! Stella! Stella!”

Finally, working with my friend Wendy Min from the Toronto rescue organization, Savedogcat, we were able to bring Stella to Canada. Here she breathed fresh air, felt bright sunshine, and walked through green grass for the first time.

The first two days after arriving at her new home, Stella refuses to eat, drink, or play. It breaks my heart to see her pitifully curled up in the corner. I accompany her 24 hours a day like I am caring for a newborn baby.

At night, I sleep on the floor on a mat where Stella can see me. 💤. In the daytime, she occasionally plays in the grass in the backyard, but she always ends up looking overwhelmed....

On the third day, she started to sniff at the grass and raise her head to breathe in the air. Since she was neglected as a pup, she seems to have no interest in any toys or snacks thrown to her. Her attention is completely focused on identifying approaching strangers, abnormal noises, and finding hiding places....

On the fourth day, she finally started to eat and pass normal bowel movements. Even though she soiled the kitchen floor, I felt as if I had struck gold!

On the fifth day, she began to explore the backyard without a leash. Though, she still moves around cautiously and walks with her tail tightly clamped between her legs.

On the sixth day, she sat on the outdoor deck and watched the butterflies and squirrels. But she continues to stay vigilant at all times.

The seventh day was the most exciting day for me. Early in the morning, I was presented with Stella’s impressionist painting: she created a perfect golden ratio on the absorbent pad prepared for her at night.

The eighth day: I can finally go to my bedroom upstairs to sleep comfortably on my own bed until she takes the initiative to come upstairs around three in the morning to beg me to go back down and accompany her.

On the morning of the ninth day, when Stella heard the barking of a neighbor's dog, she finally opened her mouth and made her first barking noise since coming to her new home in Canada. (Her foster families back in Shanghai said that they had never heard her make any sound.)

The tenth and eleventh day: I look forward to every passing day! Stella's subtle but consistent progress makes every minute I spend on her priceless. I’m constantly filled with a sense of joy and accomplishment. However, Stella still panics when seeing strangers around the house due to her past trauma. When friends come to visit her at home, she hides and shakes in fear. I would do anything to inflict the same pain on the heartless scum who hurt her! It is terrible to imagine how this poor little life was intimidated and tortured.

I often want to say to Stella from the bottom of my heart: "Don't be afraid! From now on, you will live the happiest life with me! I will make up for the love and protection you should have received! ". (A sidestory: In order to make Stella feel safe, I decided to restrict all friends from visiting my home until I fully restored her trust. My two friends who wanted to come over lamented: "We’ve been beaten out by a dog!" Haha 😆).

The nineteenth day: I can finally take Stella out for a walk in the park. Although she panicked after getting in the car and was always cautious of the pedestrians walking around her, she has already shown an amazing improvement! She was able to walk straight, turn, stop, and move forward on the leash! Occasionally, I see her sitting on the grass, looking into the distance with her tongue sticking out and a satisfied smile on her face! 😊

The twentieth day: It is difficult for dogs to adapt quickly to humans after suddenly entering a foreign country and facing a whole new world. This is especially true for a dog who has suffered severe psychological trauma and lacks a sense of security and trust in humans.

But in 20 days, I believe that I have given enough love and patience to allow my dear Stella to begin feeling for the first time the warmth the world has to offer. I believe that Stella will start a new life from now on, because the land under her feet is proudly protected by Canadian animal welfare laws! Beside her is an owner who loves dogs!

Her previous Shanghai foster Rachel, also a dog lover, said: "Stella must have been a saint in her previous life to have experienced such a wonderful change of fate!..." I feel that Stella and I were destined to be together in this life, just as we were in past lives and will continue to be in the future. Even her original name (Wendy) is coincidentally the same as my Savedogcat friend Wendy’s. I am so moved by Wendy’s deep admiration of and selfless dedication to saving cats, dogs, and other animals.