Our Story
True Heart exists because of a little three pound miniature pinscher that I saw one day in a pet store in North Carolina. At the time I didn't know about puppy mills, backyard breeders or the extreme cruelty and suffering inflicted on animals by us 'kind' humans. But I quickly learned. The pet store was asking $600.00 for him and his sibling and to say I was shocked at the price would be an understatement. His sibling was outgoing, bouncy and playful. But he was withdrawn and scared, trying to make himself invisible as he pressed against the back of his cage. He kept his head turned away from all the people that were constantly tapping on the glass to get his attention. I watched him for a while at a distance hoping to see some sign of joy at just being a puppy. But there was none. I left the store that day with a broken heart and an overpowering need to get him out of that situation. But knowing I probably couldn't do anything because $600.00 was a lot of money for a family struggling with bills and all that goes with raising kids. I couldn't get him off my mind, so two days later I returned to the pet store. This time his sibling was gone but there he was still in the same corner of the cage with his tiny face turned away. I left. I returned a few days later, there he was. This time I had a discussion with one of the employees about this little dog and was told he'd probably be returned to the breeder because he wasn't 'social' enough. I left. I returned. I left. I returned days later with one of my daughters and there he was, the only change was that he wasn't really eating now. I asked to see him. They put me in a little walled off area of the store they used for playing with the puppies and I waited for them to bring him to me. They sat him on the floor and neither of us moved. I waited for what seemed like forever then I lowered my hand and softly said, 'hi sweetie'. Just like that, he walked to me and tears filled my eyes. We were there probably thirty minutes and over the course of those thirty minutes he became playful and cute. The employees actually came over to watch because they said he'd never responded like that to anyone. Now I know they’re told to say anything to sell a puppy, but I knew just from watching people trying to engage him for the last ten days that they were telling me the truth. My fear was that I’d walk into that store at some point and he wouldn’t be there. They would have already sent him back. I will always be grateful to my husband for being so understanding of the stress and heartbreak I was going through over that little tiny dog. Two Saturdays after entering that pet store, my husband bought him for me as a surprise. I named him Dobias DoRight, he was only six weeks old. His first vet visit I found out the breeder had already neutered Dobie, he had a deformed back left leg and a low grade heart murmur. He was the product of a puppymill in Oklahoma. Out of anger over what I discovered about the inhumane treatment of animals bred to death for profit I began my journey into the world of animal rescue. Dobie died March 9th, 2006 when he was twelve years old. I wish I'd had him longer. He changed my path in life. Because of him, True Heart and the wonderful people who have volunteered over the years have saved hundreds of dogs. Oh, and the pet store that sold him... it got shut down.
L. Cheryl Higdon President/Founder
