Every smiling face is a beautiful face. This is true. But some people do not know that facts are truth and should not be questioned.
When a dog named Zipper was found on the street, he was immediately taken to a junkyard. It was all because of its unusual appearance. No, he didn’t put his third eye on the poor girl’s forehead.
After that, both tails were gone. All Zipper had was a unique smile that gave him a unique look.
However, that bright smile reached the hearts of good people and began to shine. This is a story about an unconventional beauty who won the race.
This is Zipper’s story.
A smile that moves mountains
smiling dog
The truth is ugly. Dogs with unusual appearances often end up in shelters. Because it is very difficult to find someone to build them a house.
Unfortunately, people tend to go after dogs that are pretty to look at, have pleasant personalities, or are examples of certain popular breeds. What about those left behind?
What about those poor souls who have little chance of a happy ending because not everyone sees their beauty? Zipper was one of those dogs.
He was found on the street and returned to the shelter. An examination of the sweet and friendly girl revealed that there was nothing wrong with her except for one thing: her jaw.
A dog with a rare smile
The zipper closure was deformed. No one knew what happened to this lost girl. His ass was very big and all his teeth were very far apart. His teeth don’t seem to grow right…like all his other teeth grow.
Zipper’s further investigation revealed that this girl had been through a lot. He’s clearly been a field dog all his life. The flea infestation took its toll on her tortured body, as it does many dogs. The shelter staff thought she was no longer capable of giving birth to puppies and she was abandoned on the streets. Zipper was a pedigree animal, never properly cared for and constantly neglected…always abandoned. He did not have a bright future.
He didn’t know that life would be beautiful.
Life has finally begun
dog with a beautiful smile
That all changed when Zipper joined Callie’s Place. This small animal rescue group in Tuscaloosa, Alabama has been rescuing dogs in need for years. And Zipper was one of those dogs.
He came to Tuscaloosa afraid of what would happen next. Little did he know that Callie’s home would eventually open up to the Hoomants and make them a place they could trust.
Gradually, Zipper (now renamed Petra) warmed to the idea of grooming. She walked around with Callie’s staff, asking for treats and pets and rewarding her with a bright smile.
Everyone was in awe of this special girl. Shortly after she arrived, Callie’s good people decided to check her out and spay her. But Petra also had surgery to remove a tumor from her breast. Thanks to major changes to her diet, Petra’s recovery was successful and this happy girl was finally able to take a deep breath and breathe life into her life.
627 days later
Dog with the funniest smile on the grass
627 days…
This is what happened at Petra Calli’s house. His Tuscaloosa shrine was moved to another sanctuary, Dog Heaven.
The official statement on Callie’s Facebook page informed us that Petra crossed the bridge:
“Petra has been declining for months as cancer took its toll but up until Sunday our sweet strong stubborn no nonsense girl seemed to hold it at bay. Although we saw it physically withering her away up until Sunday it mentally did not have its hold. Even Saturday Petra was following me, eating Milk Bones and harassing me for meals .. life as we knew it and had become comfortable with. But late Sunday afternoon she started to stumble more as she walked and her appetite waned. My brain started to process this but my heart did not … I kept expecting her to rebound as she has time and time again but this time it was not possible. This time Petra just didn’t “get up”.
Petra loved her life with Callie’s company. She wasn’t one of those overly affectionate dogs, but she surely knew how to show her appreciation.
627 days may not be enough for us, but it was enough for Petra to show her that not all humans are the same, and to prove to her that life can be beautiful if you have someone to show you all that beauty.
I know that anytime the sun shines through the clouds, Callie and the rest of her buddies think of Petra. It was her quirky smile that made everyone feel like they’d been covered in sunshine.
