The moment Hall heard about a stray bichon mix wandering from porch to porch in search of shelter, she instantly felt a deep connection with the little dog. Recent floods in her Southern California neighborhood had forced Hall herself out of her home, and just like the fluffy white pup, she was desperately searching for a place to belong.
“I’d been feeling so displaced that day, like I had nowhere to go,” Hall, founder of Logan’s Legacy dog rescue, told The Dodo. “And then I got the message about the dog.”
Neighbors had first noticed the pup a few days earlier, seemingly abandoned by her family in a nearby park. At the time, Southern California was being hit by relentless storms, and while heavy rain poured down, the frightened dog stopped at each nearby house, hoping someone would let her in.
“She would go up and scratch at the door like, ‘Let me in!’” Hall said. “And when no one answered, she would just sit there, shaking.”
Before heading out to find the dog, Hall posted about her online. Normally, with white, fluffy dogs, she would quickly receive messages from people claiming to be the owners. This time, however, was different.
“We didn’t get a single message,” Hall said. “Nobody was looking for her.”
When Hall arrived in the neighborhood, she began using her usual methods to catch stray dogs. She set up a humane trap, tossed a few treats toward the pup to lure her in, then hid and waited. She hoped hunger would outweigh the dog’s fear and draw her into the trap — but instead, fear won, and the pup stayed far away.
Feeling discouraged, Hall decided to try a more personal approach.
“She was too scared to go into the trap, so I sat with her and talked to her,” Hall explained. “I told her I understood how she felt. I even said, ‘I don’t have a home right now either.’”
To Hall’s surprise, the little dog responded immediately to her gentle words. As Hall spoke, she inched closer, and before long, she was close enough to reach out.
“I slowly made my way toward her, and then she let me pet her,” Hall recalled. “I was shocked.”
After a few soft strokes, Hall carefully slipped a lead around the dog’s neck and placed her in the trap — not to capture her, but to safely transport her to the truck. Once they were on the road, the exhausted pup curled up and fell asleep.
Hall took her straight to the vet, where she was given a clean bill of health. The only issue was her matted fur, so Hall arranged for a last-minute grooming session.
As the groomer gently shaved away the tangles, she felt the dog looked like a “Nicole,” and decided to call her Nikki for short.
Soon, Nikki had a fresh haircut and was ready to move into her foster home, where she remains for now.
The sweet little dog is still waiting for her forever family, but Hall believes it won’t be long before someone falls in love with her.
“She’s the kind of dog everyone adores instantly,” Hall said. “She’s so gentle, and she doesn’t even bark!”
While Hall hopes the perfect family finds Nikki soon, she and her team are cherishing every moment with the affectionate pup.
“She is just the sweetest little dog,” Hall said warmly. “Honestly, she’s perfect.”