My name is Cole. I am part of the family who adopted Ellie. When she was a few weeks old, she was found with four other puppies from the same litter and brought to New York Pet Rescue in Harrison, and fostered by a really kind family in Rye.

Lots of things happened leading up to the day we brought Ellie home.

It all started when my brother, sister, and I convinced our mom that it would be would be really fun to have a dog. As my brother Grady said, “It’s good to adopt rescue dogs because they’ve had a hard start to life and they need a family.”   

We started by checking out pet rescue websites. By adopting a dog that was rescued we saved two dogs by making room in the foster family’s home for another one. We saw tons of great dogs when we went on the website, but there was something special about Ellie’s picture. Even as a tiny puppy, she sat up tall and looked patient, gentle, and kind, which she is to this day.

My mom waited until we were all home from school and we went to meet her in person at the foster home. I will never forget the moment when I saw her for the first time. I got out of the car and she was standing in front of the white gate — a little puppy, with caramel-colored fur, big brown eyes, and floppy ears. She looked up at us as if she knew we’d come for her. She ran right over to meet us when her foster mom opened the gate, then she ran into the back to show us her siblings. They were all very cute, but Ellie was playful yet quiet, and sweet in our arms. She felt like ours.    

We were planning on adopting her the next day, so that afternoon we went to the pet store and bought all the things we needed. We got waste bags, a leash, food, and water bowls, a collar, and some other stuff. The next day we picked her up at the foster home and were so excited to bring her home and play with her. We thought she was the most adorable puppy ever.

We borrowed a book from the Rye Free Reading Room on how to train a puppy. We potty-trained her by giving her treats and praise. Eventually, we taught her to sit, lie down, and give us her paw. She tries so hard to give us her paw that she ends up giving both at the same time.  

Ellie has been part of our family for a year now and we can’t imagine life without her. When we walk in the door, she is so happy to see us she says hello by wagging not only her tail but her whole body. We lay with her on her doggie bed and snuggle with her when we feel tired or sad. She always makes us feel better. If my younger sister or brother gets upset, she will lick them until they smile or stop crying. 

Our favorite things about Ellie are her floppy ears, her positive attitude, playing with her on our play set (she can climb the ladder by herself and goes down the slide), and how much she loves and cares about us. 

Grady, Isabel, and Cole with their rescue dog Ellie    

Photo by Geoff Tischman