Mia (China)

They are each faced with their own obstacles, their own hills to climb. We can only ask of them to do what they can do and not force them to do what they cannot. With love and safety, Mia has overcome much after being rescued, along with several other Borzoi, from the China meat market in 2018.
“When I let her out in the yard for the first time, she was too terrified to come back into the house. It turned out that she was afraid of the pool flamingo. She wouldn’t walk through a doorway if anyone was standing in it or near it, or if the door wasn’t open wide. In the house, she stayed in the back of her crate where she accumulated toys and shoes. I had to tip it up to get her out so she could go in the yard. She never had an accident in the house.
She was afraid of people, even me. When I petted her, she would lower her head and stiffen up. She soon bonded with Nikolai and was happy grew more confident; she even became a counter thief! But Nik died in 2020, leaving her alone again. She moved into his crate, didn’t want to come out, and lost interest in eating. She needed a companion, so I adopted Zoya. They get along well, but Mia seems to prefer male dogs.
Two years ago she jumped on a bed for the first time. When she jumped down, she slipped on a rug, flailed, and hit a front leg on the bed frame. She went bravely through surgery, healed well, and walks as beautifully as ever. My husband calls her "bunny" because when her ears perk, they look like rabbit ears. She never learned to play with toys, but we buy her bunny stuffies anyways.
Mia still spends most of her time upstairs (where Zoya won’t venture) but now when she hears sounds outside, she runs downstairs and begins barking at anyone outside the window. It’s hard to believe that she was the frightened girlie who would not come out of her crate.
Mia would not be here had NBRF not rescued her. Thank you to everyone who helped her find the life she deserves.”