They saved my life

My name is Valentino. I don’t know what my first name is. I am a black and white Boxer. My first owner got me when I was little. She kept me outside all the time and didn’t give me any love. I love to cuddle and lick my owner. She didn’t like it at all. She kept me tied up. When I was 11 months old, she left me alone all day, tied up outside and I heard big loud noises that scared me. These noises went on all day and I was so frightened. No one came to rescue me. I was so scared that I tried to climb the weird thing near me, they call it a fence. I got stuck and was hanging off the fence for a really long time. The next day my owner came and yelled at me for getting stuck on that fence. I was injured. My left rear leg hurt really bad, but she said nothing but bad things to me. She put me in the metal house outside on her porch. It was really hot and I was there for many days. I wasn’t allowed outside either, where I liked to run and go potty. I got really sick. My left rear leg hurt worse each day and I began to cry which made her mad. One day her friend, a tall man, took me in the car to a place where he just left me. The people were nice. They gave me medicine for my sickness. I heard them say they’d never seen a dog in so much pain. They gave me a new name: Valentino. They said it was for valor and strength, because I shouldn’t have lived. One day I went to sleep and when I awoke, that bad leg was gone. But I felt so much better! And, I could still run!! A new family came and took me home where I lived with children! And other dogs! And I didn’t have to stay outside all the time! Some time later this family took me in the car for a long drive and I met this woman and man, whom I call Mommy and Daddy. They gave me big hugs right away and they let me lick them! They didn’t care that I only had three legs. I get to go outside with them and sometimes I get to run like the wind. I live in the house with them! My mommy plays hide and seek with me when she comes home after being gone! I have lots of toys! And they have a little boy whom they call, grandson, who comes over and plays with me! I love grandson. He’s just my size. I am so happy that I mostly don’t remember the bad life. My mommy and daddy get real sad when they remember my bad life and they will massage the part where my leg used to be and scratch my neck on that side because I can’t get to it myself. I love my life! I AM Valentino!