Name: Yara

Age: 1 year

Breed: mutt (her mother was part Bobtail, that´s the only known breed in her)

Parents: unknown

Siblings: 1 brother

Mate/crush: none

Pups: none

Personality: calm, gentle, easily scared, rather shy, mostly silent

Likes: snow, her owner, walks, sausages

Dislikes: storms, loud noises, open water, hot weather

History: Along with her brother Yara was born as a stray in a small town near Nome. She never got to know her father, he got shot while stealing food before she was born.  As she was about 4 weeks old she, her mother and her brother where taken to an animal shelter. Being old enough, Yara got adopted at about 10 weeks old. She was the first out of those 3 who found a new home. Her new owners took her to Nome. They trained and cared for her. But as she was about 6 months old they dropped her off in the streets before moving to an other town. Being just a pup she wasn´t able to survive on her own. After a few days she saw a little boy who seemed to be just as alone as she was. That boy was homeless, just like her. Yara followed him whereever he went so he decided to keep her, even though it meant he had to feed two mouths now. Soon he and the short-legged fluffball became close friends. After all they have been the only company they had. They´ve been keeping each other warm during the night and shared their food. Seeing all pet dogs wearing collars, bandanas or other things like that he also wanted to give something to Yara. Once he found some old cloth and tightened around his dog´s neck. Now everyone could see that she is not a stray and has an owner.

One day, Leroy has been playing on the ice of a frozen lake. Yara, how he named the dog, was too afraid so she waited on dry land. After about an hour, and Leroy´s constant calls she got over her fear and followed her master onto the ice.  Not long after the ice broke, causing Leroy to slip under it. Instead of helping her owner Yara panicked and ran off. She ran straight into their shed but Leroy didn´t follow. She went back to the lake but no sign of him. Yara feared that he might drowned. She waited for almost 24 hours at the lake but he didn´t come back. She didn´t know that Leroy got saved and soon after got adopted by a young pair. He even searched for his dog but couldn´t find her.

From that day on he always went back home to the shed at dusk, waiting for her owner to finally be back, but with passing time she lost hope. But after months a familiar voice was calling her, Leroy, her owner found her, and not only that, now the two of them had a real family and a real home. Soon the old piece of cloth got replace with a pretty green ribbon, now Leroy could really care for his dog, the friend who kept him company when he had no one else.

Relation to Balto: Lives in nome and befirended Jenna when Leroy took her with him when going to play with Rosie