Her name, Mizzica, is a word found in Sicilian dialect. It roughly translates to “Holy cow!” and is used to express joyful surprise. It fits her perfectly, for she came to us as a true surprise when we found her abandoned at a roadside garbage dump in Sicily in 2017. Ever since then, she has been a hugely important part of our lives—so much so that her story cried out to be told. So we wrote the book Mizzica, the Dog from the Dumpster, published in 2025. Soon to be released is the second book in what we hope will be a series, entitled Mizzica’s Magic Journey.

Mizzica is a survivor, but she is also playful, intelligent, curious, and endlessly affectionate. She carries no bitterness from her beginning. Instead, she meets the world with trust and delight, reminding us daily of what animals do best: live fully in the present moment.

Everywhere we go, people stop us to ask about her. They want to know her name, what it means, where she came from, and—most often—how we brought her home with us. Mizzica has a way of inviting curiosity. There is something unmistakably joyful about her presence, something that draws people in before they even realize it.

These books were written as a tribute to Mizzica’s spirit, but they are also love letters to all dogs who are overlooked, abandoned, or dismissed. Proceeds from the first book are being donated to a shelter in Sicily, Canile Rifugio degli Iblei Achile Birotto, supporting rescue and care efforts for dogs who remain vulnerable. It is a small way of giving back to the place where her story began.