My name is Molly, and I’m a journalist living in New York City with my dog, Riley. Riley came to me from Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. I’d been thinking of getting a dog (as I’d grown up with several), and I couldn’t get the news stories about pets lost or left behind in the wake of the hurricane out of mind. One day, I called a number at the bottom of a story I’d read in the New York Post, and just two weeks later, I became an urban dog owner.

Riley in Central Park

I got Riley from the Humane Society of Central Louisiana and Labs4Rescue, based in nearby Connecticut. Two committed dog rescuers drove her on a truck with twenty or so other dogs all the way from Louisiana. At 7 am one Saturday, I drove to meet Riley at a checkpoint where other families were picking up their new pets in Newburgh, New York. Until that day, I’d only seen a couple of photos and talked to my new dog’s foster parent over the phone. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

After just a few minutes waiting around while other couples and families greeted their new dogs, the women who’d been driving the truck handed me my adoption packet and a leash. And there Riley was looking up at me: a stumpy-legged, crooked-tailed little dog, with the most hopeful, sweet brown eyes. I put her in the passenger seat of the rental car, and we drove the hour and a half back to New York City in silence. She just sat there, shaking, and stared at me the entire way.

Four years later, Riley has changed a lot. She no longer cowers when fire trucks scream by, and she has packed on a few lbs from my tendency to give her too many treats. She even learned to curb herself. (I had nothing to do with it; she’s just a genius.) A few things haven’t changed, though: She still crotch-dives just about everyone she meets when greeting them (awkward); she still snores when she sleeps; and she still has no problem putting male dogs in their place when they get a little too, um, friendly.

I started this blog because I continue to be surprised every day at how much she has affected my life and how much she makes me laugh. I’ve become “that girl”—you know, the type of person who talks about her dog far more than is socially acceptable. I have come to believe strongly in dog rescue, and I’ve realized how many things I’ve had to learn—quickly—as a dog owner living in a city. I wanted to create a community where other city dog owners could read about the issues I’ve encountered, and share their own experiences, stories, and advice.

I hope that you enjoy it, and I hope you’ll join in the discussion.

Molly