They say when you find "the one", you'll know.  While surfiing through animal rescue sites one night, I happened upon the profile of a scruffy tan terrier mix on Petfinder. One look at the expression on his sweet face and I KNEW.   We weren't exactly looking to add a fourth dog to our family, but it soon became apparent that little Buzz was meant to be.

Buzz grew up as a stray scrounging for food on the streets of La Paz, Mexico. One fateful day in January he was spotted on a busy street by Dhorea, the founder of Baja Dogs Rescue.  A kind man offered to catch the frightened little dog so she could take him back to the safety of the shelter.  Buzz (known then as Sammy Bart) was in terrible shape - malnourished, suffering from mange, and infested with ticks and fleas. 

He had badly infected gashes on his head, likely the result of human abuse or a fight with another dog.  His left front leg was also injured and his upper incisor teeth were missing.  Despite his compromised condition, Buzz continued to wag his tail.

Having never rescued an adult street dog before, I am astounded daily by his progress. Buzz lives in the moment.  He has let go of his tragic past and overcomes hurdles faster than I ever could have imagined.  He accepts that laminate floors, televisions, noisy household appliances and telephones are all part of living in a home.  When he first met our three dogs, he tucked his tail in fear and prepared to defend himself.  Now he plays with absolute joyful abandon.  Oncoming traffic no longer stops him in his tracks and he has discovered that couches are definitely better than sidewalks.  Most importantly though, he has come a long way in trusting that nobody is going to hurt him anymore and lucky dogs do, in fact, get fed every day!   

Yes, we saved Buzz from a miserable existence but he has more than repaid us with the lessons we have already learned from him- live in the now, appreciate the simple things in life and most importantly, LOVE!

For more information on how you can help the dogs of La Paz, please visit their website at www.bajadogslapaz.org and share the dream!