From Tina Conti Flynn of Find My Canine.

Hi everyone. This was received as a letter of appreciation to all of you from Agnessa Abasov, Lady’s owner. Please take a few moments to read. And to all those that donated, they are still getting the names and will add them to the list tomorrow. Thank you again everyone. Now here is the letter:

My journey with Lady always felt sort of balanced with fate. I remember first seeing her, on a collie adoption website. Surprised by how much her face looked like my old sheltie who had passed a year previously. I was in Utah, and she was all the way in Georgia! I had no idea what kind of dog she was, how I’d get there, or how it’d even work out from there. But I couldn’t forget her face. I just knew her and I would get along.

I went on my very first road trip with my sister to travel and get her. My own, very first dog. It was a week long journey there and back! And first seeing her, ironically… She ran away, for an hour I did not see her. But I waited, and sure enough she came back. (Wouldn’t that be some kind of foreshadowing huh!)

Always so suspicious of humans, she didn’t trust me at first. She seemed to have been neglected. I still vividly remember the first time we actually connected, where she realized she could trust me and wanted to protect me.
She stood in front of me, growling and barking as some people nearby started to get into a fight.

I started to fully trust her then too, and I really fell in love! We were soulmates, I was sure of it. We were both so much the same. She was a mirror of me, and I understood her well.
She continues to be the sweetest, most patient, and bravest dog I’ve ever known in my life. She has taught me so much, and has supported me through many difficult times.

When I lost her, I went to go attend a celebration of life in Littlefield. Shortly after I arrived she had been spooked by some fireworks. She had never run away like that since the first time I got her 2 years ago. I was shocked. I went to look for her and looked for her from 7 PM to 2 AM. To the point I drove myself to having a flu! Which I hadn’t had since 4th grade.
In the span of about a week, I lost my dog, got the flu, had to start moving out of my apartment, and my family in Ukraine got attacked.

This left me not able to search for her without getting worse. (I still went out and tried!)

I’m not friends with a lot of people, being just as shy as my Lady is. I posted around on Facebook and… The amount of support and help I received during this time of need was overwhelming.

If Tina Conti Flynn (with FindMyCanine) wasn’t there putting it all together, I wouldn’t have found my soulmate again. She, who somehow knew, without me saying anything… That without Lady, It felt like I stopped breathing. Crying over her, dreaming about her, wondering- worrying! All of the above. But I could rest easier knowing so many people had wanted to help me.

She is an incredibly compassionate, intuitive, and smart woman. How much she went out of her way to help me, keep me updated and put my mind at as much ease as she could.
She told me dogs are angels. But I am sure she is one.

Thank you to the search party, who kept me hopeful. Dan Peterson, Sonny Graham, Anthony and Cassie Gill, and Kimberly Bean. I really appreciated the input, tips and help in those first few initial searches. I learned a lot, and I was surprised to have a search party at all! But boy, did I keep getting surprised on this journey!
Thank you to Nanea King for making flyers, handing them out, and pasting them everywhere. For taking the time to really spread the word! I don’t live close at all to Littlefield, so that really helped out a bunch!

Thank you Mark Cobb, Mohave County Animal Control and Friends of Mohave Animal Shelter! The fact that so many people were out looking for her made me so happy! The energy you guys spent, setting up traps, patrolling, and even going out to help my dad go and get my little Lady.

I know with someone as sweet as you helping her Mark, she must’ve felt like she was in some very safe hands. She also must’ve been in a lot of pain, so the fact Friends of Mohave Animal Shelter could pay for her vet meant a lot! Finally being able to see and hold her, to sleep with her peacefully.

We were both over the moon.

Thank you to Tammy and Chaz Farnham for spotting Lady in the first place! Some string of fate you both followed, seeing that little speck on the hilltop. She trusted the both of you to see her, and to let the others know. Carol Martin, who then contacted Tina. Who then contacted my dad, who went out with Mark and got her.

It feels like a domino effect, the strength of a community. One brave, kind act pushes another. And another. It goes on and on.
Until my best friend was back in my arms, exactly like how I saw in my dreams.
I was so astounded by all of you. All of your kindness. I couldn’t actually process my Lady being back until 3 AM later in the night. Where I laid on the floor next to her, petting her, finally releasing a steady stream of tears I had been holding in. Taking in every single one of her details. Appreciating all it took to have her back to me.

And finally, thank you to all of you who donated to Dixie Veterinary Hospital for her surgery. Fawn Terwilliger, Nanea King, Peggy Fitzgerald, Karen Betos, Suzie Nelson, Rhonda Stephens, Sally Kershisnik, Wendy Kaplan, Kathryn Goecke, Tina Conti Flynn (again, Tina! You wonderful woman!), Vera Orlova (my mom!) and more to come.
I wouldn’t have ever been able to afford it otherwise. Even amputation would have been pricey, I’m sure… But now I know my free spirit Lady can run like the wind with me again in summertime. Every step we take together, every memory we make, we will think of you.

This whole experience will be something I remember for the rest of my life. Because I am sure this was nothing short of a miracle.

Whenever I doubt the world, I will think of all of you. All of you who helped me and my Lady reunite. Who has helped restore my faith in humanity again.
And because of that, I honestly pray to God that he sees the hearts of every one of you and the deeds you have done to help me. That he fills you with so much warmth, love and peace. Because I truly don’t know how else to express my gratitude.

From all that we are, we thank you. With both of our hearts, together again, we really thank you all! Thank you so very much! I could say it a million times!
Thank you!

Sincerely–
truly,
Agnessa and Lady