You just never know where in the world you’ll be when you meet one of the loves of your life!
A young woman named Taylor was vacationing in Bali, Indonesia when she spotted a tiny bundle of fur on the side of the road. She quickly pulled her scooter over to investigate, discovering a very small dog that appeared to be homeless and hungry. “She came right to me and I picked her up. I didn’t plan on taking her home with me by any means,” said Taylor.
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Even though she was scheduled to return to her home in Golden, Colorado just five days later, Taylor could not leave the helpless animal behind. She scooped up the dog and carried her back to her bungalow in a backpack. After feeding the dog, Taylor and the dog quickly began to form a bond.
Taylor kept the dog with her for a few days, fully intending to find her a permanent home once it was time for her to go home to the States. Yet within hours of their first meeting the dog became sick, displaying neurological symptoms that rendered her helpless. A local vet confirmed that the dog had severe anemia and some sort of tick-born illness. The vet said she’d survive if she received the right care, but her recovery would take months.
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Taylor decided then and there to upend her life to help this dog, who she named Stevie Ticks. She arranged for a local caretaker to watch Stevie for a few weeks while she flew home to make arrangements for a much longer trip to Indonesia than she’d originally planned. “It made me realize how much I love her and I didn’t want to give up on her,” said Taylor of seeing the dog weakened by illness.
Once Taylor returned to Bali, the healing truly began for them both! She ended up staying in the country for 3 extra months until Stevie was healthy enough to make the journey to the U.S.
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Even the act of flying Stevie home took time, effort, and resources that seemed insurmountable at first. Dogs are not allowed to be flown in or out of Bali, so Taylor had to arrange for a separate company to transport the dog from Bali to Jakarta. Taylor was then able to have a joyful reunion with the pup before making the final leg of their journey to Colorado.
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Ever since the pair got home, Stevie has been living her best life. She has fully recovered from her illness and loves spending her day by Taylor’s side and taking long hikes. Every time Taylor comes home she gets covered in puppy kisses! This is one dog who couldn’t be happier to be Taylor’s once-in-a-lifetime souvenir.
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