My husband and I adopted Tessa almost 8 years ago through the Bill Foundation (they had named her Gemma and we renamed her after the incredible foster 'Mom' we received her from). She was 1 week post-cardiac surgery when we got her! Thanks to the Bill Foundation, Tessa had been rescued from an L.A. County shelter and had received an open-heart surgery to correct an AVM of her heart--a genetic malformation that most puppies would be allowed to die from. Tessa (a small mixed breed--probably Border Collie or Sheltie mixed with long hair Chihuahua--yes, she looks like a Gremlin!) was already active and running, jumping, playing inspite of her post-op instructions to take it easy. She had a lot of love to share but only on her terms--that's the Chihuahua in her! Not much has changed since then, although she's a little slower these days and she had a few teeth pulled because she wouldn't let anybody near enough to her mouth to be effective for so many years. She has been my right hand girl--first, in keeping our Sheltie from being too neurotically shy and then when we adopted another Chihuahua/Eskimo mix little guy almost 2 years ago, she took on the responsibility of watching over him and keeping me advised of his wild and reckless "Houdini" ways, probably saving him from himself more times than she would like to count! The Bill Foundation saved her life and she has saved his as much as we have(i.e. the little guy climbs treehouse ladders when nobody is looking!)!