TAMPA, Fla. — The Valenti family are big Marvel movie fanatics. So when they saved the day for a rescue dog from the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, picking a name was easy.
“So I am married to Tony, who is a huge Ironman fan. So it was kind of between Loki and Jarvis,” explained Mary.
The family ended up deciding on Jarvis, but there was something traumatic Mary needed to overcome before they could welcome any pet into their home.
“I was bitten very severely on the face when I was three. I had to have like four or five surgeries. It was — it was a big, very, very traumatic I mean like terrified of dogs,” said Mary.
Her renewed trust in dogs came from an unlikely place. Her daughter, Ashley, who's chronically ill with an immune disorder. Ashley spends a lot of time in the hospital and several service dogs would come to visit her.
Mary said that really helped her get over her fear of dogs. Perhaps nobody was happier about bringing Jarvis home than Ashley.
“A lot of people that can't relate to my situation. So it gets a little lonely. So I'm very happy that I have a little friend to go to at the end of the day, after all those treatments,” explained Ashley.
Just like the comic book movies, there’s a happy ending here as Jarvis and the Valenti’s found each other in the most rewarding way.
Don’t forget to share your rescue dog or cat stories on the Tully’s Tails Facebook Page. We might even share it on Good Morning Tampa Bay.
