Smaro. A thin, sick creature, with patches of fur missing from her worn out little body and nails so overgrown they made it hard for her to even place her feet properly. Smaro, with the faded collar that had been tied around her neck for as long as anyone could remember, rusting against her skin while she lived chained inside the municipal shelter of Krestena. We struggled to remove it because the buckle had jammed.
Smaro had all of that. But she had something else too: grit and determination. And that is what kept her standing.
Today she has completed her treatment and has finally enjoyed proper food at the sanctuary. Her ribs and hip bones no longer protrude, her belly has filled out, and her fur has begun to grow back where it was missing. The rich chocolate color of her coat is slowly coming through.
And now that she feels safe, Smaroula has begun to unfold her personality. Or rather, that is not quite true. From the very first moment, even when she was weak and ill, her eyes were shining and she never hesitated to demand tenderness and affection. It was clear from day one that she had little interest in the other dogs running around her. Her eyes were only for people.
Our girl is so sweet, so gentle and affectionate, that every time we take her for a walk she seizes the first opportunity to lie on her back and refuse to move. She does not want to go anywhere. She wants to stay forever with a human who will rub her belly endlessly and never grow tired of it.
Whoever decides to adopt Smaro should know two things: she will look straight into your eyes and melt you, and she will never, ever get tired of being loved.
