When Sandi and Bill Crewe lived in Chicagoland, they adopted Kallie as a semi-rescue 7-month-old Portuguese Water Dog who had already lived in two homes. It quickly became evident that Kallie was terrified of young men, but she bonded with them at the first tail wag. Until they moved to San Luis Obispo County in 2017, Kallie wedged herself between Sandi and the kitchen counter during meal preparation. She needed that closeness, and they adored her and all of her coping habits that got her through the day. Kallie had her wild girl moments, but her personality was very sedate…and reflecting back, she was probably sick long before her diagnosis of multiple myeloma.

Kallie’s life changed dramatically in a very positive way when they moved to Avila Beach. She enjoyed short walks with Bill. She loved watching their turkeys when she encountered them and never once charging or chasing them…the same for deer. Incredibly, the biggest positive they saw was her relationship with their wonderful immediate neighbors, one of whom tolerated Kallie’s manipulation of their “Ring doorbell” to her own advantage. It only took her a couple of attempts before she trained them to quickly fetch treats for her. And, of course, she would go into fits to get to her personal UPS truck driver. Kallie became a people person in her short time in Avila Beach and was so, so happy.

Bill and Sandi are still having a hard time letting go of Kallie’s beautiful spirit, but they are very thankful for being led here by the powerful force that was responsible for The Best Year of Kallie’s Life!