“I Still Have My Dog”: A Story of Loyalty, Struggle, and Unshakable Love

When she was just 19 years old, a single mother with a baby in her arms and the world on her shoulders, she made a promise — not just to her child, but to a tiny dog that quickly became family.

“I got my dog when I was still figuring life out,” she says. “And no matter what happened, I kept her.”

That promise was tested more times than most people could imagine.

She kept her dog when she moved into an apartment that charged a steep $500 pet fee.
She kept her dog when a breakup forced her to find a new home, one that didn’t allow pets.
She kept her dog even when she had no choice but to return to her parents’ house — where pets weren’t welcome.

“I found a way. Every time. Because she was mine.”

Life threw more curveballs: the birth of a second child, relationship turmoil, and moments of sheer financial desperation.

“There were nights we all ate nothing but buttered noodles. But we were together.”

Ten years have passed. Her dog is slower now. Eating less. The once-bright fur has dulled with age. But one thing hasn’t changed:

“I still have my dog.”

She’s the beginning of a family built on endurance, love, and unwavering loyalty.

In a world where rehoming pets has become a casual decision for many — over minor inconveniences, changing lifestyles, or the arrival of a new puppy — this story stands as a quiet but powerful reminder:

Commitment is commitment.

Dogs aren’t just companions. They’re family. Through every season, every hardship, every moment of joy and pain — they stay.

And so should we.

Because the love they give is never temporary.

And neither should ours be.