This is a story about my sweet senior poodle named Mifflin. Mifflin spent most of her life in a puppy mill where she was bred over and over again by selfish humans to make money for them. Her puppies were taken away from her and she was left with inadequate food in crowded cages where she was forced to lay in her own waste. On the night of November 10, 2014, Mifflin and six other mothers like her were sold to a man in a van at the side of a road and the man, a shelter volunteer, took them to a rescue. The rescue named all seven dogs after Ohio cities and that's how Mifflin received her name. I met Mifflin one March day in 2015 when I was washing laundry at the shelter. She was shaking and held her head low. I asked the staff if I could spend time with her and we went to a private room at the rescue. I sat on the floor with her and kept a distance where she wouldn't feel intimidated.

A few visits later, I adopted Mifflin, bringing her to her forever home where she would be loved for the first time. She needed prescription food due to the years of abuse of her system. We taught her how to walk with a steady stride and she accompanied me to work. She learned to trust people and she was my best friend. We rode in the car together, we lay on the couch together, and she kept all my secrets. When we brought Lucy the sheltie home after a family member passed, Lucy helped Mifflin gain even more confidence.

Mifflin was diagnosed with stage IV cancer this spring and she took her last breath in my arms on

June 4. Please consider adopting a senior puppy mill mother. It will be hard but they are counting on us. My girls have been such a treasure and I miss Mifflin so much. Spread the word, take action, and let's shut these people down! Becki