Cristyn Zloza took 2nd place in a grooming competition but her and her poodle, Aurora’s story, put her way out front.

The 2014 PetQuest Poodle tournament in Wilmington, Ohio, was a test of her skill in grooming. This competition was more than just about her grooming skills, to was a testament to the power of dog rescue.

Cristyn and her husband Michael rescued Aurora almost two years ago from being put to death. In an act of unbelievable cruelty the little poodle was inhumanely debarked and abused at a puppy mill. Aurora was one of hundreds of dogs rescued by Cristyn and her husband and the rescue group that they are affiliated with.

The couples grooming salon, the Spotted Paw Shop, is dedicated to dog rescue; so they understand the difference it makes in a dog’s life to have a loving home and to be free of the horrors of a puppy mill. According to Cristyn, even now, two years later Aurora’s coat still shows the signs of the inhumane living conditions and traumatic stress she suffered.

PetQuest Poodle tournament win has shown that, even after the most inhumane treatment, that with a loving home life for a sweet little poodle can be a winner.

And that’s when coming in second is really first!

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