Beyond All Odds - the El Tuito Stray Story

APRIL 2021 — THEY WERE DUMPED

Two puppies were dumped in the countryside near a tiny town called El Tuito, 1½ hours south of Puerto Vallarta.

A rancher drove by and kept seeing them. Alone. No mom in sight. By the third day, he picked them up.

Actual photo from that day

The rancher already had eleven rescue dogs and couldn’t keep them.

His wife, Michaela, posted a photo on Facebook with a plea for help.

I knew Michaela and saw the post. My heart jumped — these puppies were adorable.

But… we weren’t ready for another dog. It hadn’t been long since our greyhound Asha had passed, and we wanted to wait at least a year.

The rancher keeping them safe and fed - feisty pups

THE SPCA STEPS IN

The SPCA in Puerto Vallarta offered to take the puppies — get them fixed, vaccinated, and ready for adoption.

By June, the puppies were 4–5 months old and ready to be adopted.

The SPCA brought them to the Sunday Walk, where volunteers walk shelter dogs. Todd and I had been volunteering for a while.

The first day, they brought these two puppies. I saw them. I knew them. My heart jumped a beat.

I didn’t walk either of them that first day, but during a break, the one named Foxy came over and licked my face.

Todd noticed her calm strength and sweetness too.

Photo captured when Foxy licked my face.

The next Sunday, we walked Foxy and her sister, Lis.

Another day at the shelter, I hoped to see Foxy playing in the yard, but no luck. Before leaving, I casually mentioned her name. The shelter manager said a family was coming in an hour to see Foxy and her sister.

My heart sank. We weren’t ready anyway.

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We devised a creative plan: if the family didn’t want Foxy, that would be a sign, and we’d adopt her.

A few days passed — no answer.

The family wasn’t sure.

We were on pins and needles.

Then the text we’d been waiting for… the family wanted Foxy.

We were devastated, but I guess it wasn’t meant to be.

Maybe she was here to teach us we were ready to adopt.

The next day, Sunday, we went to the SPCA walk.

Our hearts in a knot.

The SPCA manager pulled a dog from the van — it looked just like Foxy.

It was Foxy.

The family had an emergency and couldn’t adopt her. It was meant to be! She would be ours.

Walking her that day in the park felt surreal.

The next day — Adoption Day: June 21, 2021.

We renamed her Nama:

• Sanskrit = “the soul meeting the highest soul”

• Japanese = vibrancy, freshness, strength

  
  

Our greyhounds had Sanskrit names, and we wanted the same for her.

It had been almost four months since Asha passed, joining her brother Kai, who had passed a year and a half earlier.

We weren’t ready… yet our puppy found us anyway.

I absolutely know she was a gift — sent by Asha and Kai.

Nama is joyful. Nama is a healer.

INNER MOVIE STAR REFLECTION

Nama’s story reminds me that life often brings us exactly what we need — sometimes in ways we don’t expect.

Being open, trusting the signs, and embracing joy allows the magic to find us.

Just like an Inner Movie Star, we can show up fully — even when we think we’re not ready. We can recognize the miracles waiting for us and step into the role of our own story.

Find your inner movie star.

xo Kathleen Naomi