For some volunteers at Lanta Animal Welfare, friendships with rescue dogs form during nightshifts, through food, or after a day at the beach.
In Emma’s case, her friendship with a rescue dog named Cilla took some time. It was a bond built through patience, love and … butter buns. The former media volunteer shares her story of how their special friendship grew day by day. It’s one of the most rewarding aspects of being a volunteer. Sign up today and maybe one day, you’ll also have a story to tell about a rescue animal who leaves paw prints on your heart.
In her own words…
For me and Cilla, it was not love at first sight—far from it. It was a relationship that was forged little by little every day—with a lot of patience and love—over two months and eight days.
It started one afternoon when I was returning to Time for Lime from Lanta Animal Welfare. The Thai family that lived there told me that Cilla had escaped. I ran out to look for her without caring how long it had been or how far she could have gone. I did not expect what happened afterwards. I screamed Cilla’s name, hoping to find her still around, when I saw her head peek out from the bushes on the neighboring plot just 20 meters from home. She ran like crazy toward me, my arms already open and ready to receive the impact. We both cried because of the fright we both experienced, and the joy of seeing each other again.
Since that moment, the days that followed were small victories for our friendship that unwittingly transformed into love, respect and a little mutual dependence.
Cilla began to come up to the top floor and enter my room to make sure that I was still there. Other times, she simply kissed my shoulder or knee and then fell asleep in the doorway. But without a doubt, the best change I saw in her was every time I got home, she welcomed me as though I had been gone a thousand years or I was her favorite person in the whole world.
Shortly after, I taught her to sit down but she was too smart. She did not allow herself to be bribed unless it was for dehydrated prawns or that 7-Eleven butter bun she loves so much.
She is without a doubt the best part of my experience as a volunteer at Lanta Animal Welfare. When they told me there was a woman interested in meeting her, my heart skipped a thousand beats. Daniela came to meet Cilla that same afternoon. She came every afternoon that week to walk her to the beach. Cilla finally found her forever home in Germany!
The following days passed quietly. I woke up in the morning, had breakfast, and took the dogs for a walk: first Cilla and then Sheldon. On the night of February 5, I received the news that Cilla was ready and that they were coming to pick her up the next morning to go to the airport.
Of course, it was good news! Even so, I cried many tears that night. The news caught me off guard. That was our last night together…
Once I calmed down, I thought if these are going to be our last hours together, we should make it special! I got on my motorcycle, drove to 7-Eleven, and bought two butter cakes. Fifteen minutes later, we were sitting on the floor of my terrace sharing a butter cake and watching “Modern Family” on Netflix. That night something very special happened that never happened in our two months and eight days living together: Cilla slept under my bed. And although that gesture made me cry again, I was grateful that she saved that trick for the end.
Cilla now lives with her forever family in Germany!
I still miss her; I always will! I’m lucky that Daniela and I are in contact so I can know how Cilla is doing: the first time she saw snow and her favorite spot in the carpet next to the window. Nothing makes me happier than thinking that I contributed a little to making THAT possible.
– Emma, former Media Volunteer
