๐ Welcome Our New Moderator - Linda Heil! ๐
We're thrilled to introduce Linda Heil as our newest community moderator! Linda brings a heart full of love for rescue dogs and an incredible story that perfectly embodies what our community is all about. Linda's Journey to Chihuahua Love ๐ Linda has been a lifelong dog lover, but like many of us, she never imagined herself as a Chihuahua parent. That all changed in August 2024 when fate stepped in... The Rescue That Changed Everything: After adopting a deaf Double Merle named Emma from a Joplin, Missouri shelter in December 2023, Linda continued supporting the shelter by shipping supplies monthly. Then she saw a heartbreaking post about "Cookie" - a severely abused and neglected Chihuahua who desperately needed a home. When Linda showed her husband Cookie's story and photos, his initial response was practical: "Lindalu, you can't have another dog - we already have four!" But love has a way of changing hearts. Two days later, he asked if Cookie had found a home yet. When Linda said no, he simply said: "Call them. Tell them you'll be there Friday to get her." 987 miles later, Cookie came home to become Cocoa - a fresh start with a new name for a new life filled with love and care. The Pack ๐พ Cocoa now thrives alongside her four Corgi siblings: - Sophie (11 years old) - Gwenny (9 years old) - Colonel (4 years old) - Emma (2 years old) - the deaf Double Merle who started it all Every single one is a rescue! Why Linda is Perfect for Our Community Linda's transformation from "never considered a Chihuahua" to "crazy in love with Chihuahuas" shows the magic these little dogs bring to our lives. Her dedication to rescue work and her belief that "dogs are amazing gifts from God" (after all, Dog IS God spelled backwards! ๐) makes her a natural fit to help guide our community. Linda understands the journey because she's lived it - from skeptic to devoted Chi parent, from single-breed household to multi-dog rescue family. Please join us in giving Linda a warm welcome! ๐