06/09/2025
The Story of Abigail the Bearded Dragon
On the quiet evening of April 12, 2015, a little bearded dragon wandered into my front yard. I had no idea that she would forever change my life. I searched for her owner, putting up flyers and posting to Facebook, but no one came forward. A week later, she was curled up under my chin while we watched TV—well, I watched TV while she napped peacefully. Suddenly, she stood up, wiggled her little tail, and laid an egg… then another… and another. By the end of the night, she had laid 28 eggs.
I hadn’t known she was gravid, and sadly, without an incubator, the eggs were lost. But in those early days, as I searched for her owner and began caring for her, I fell in love. She was already making a permanent mark on my heart.
Three weeks later, a tornado warning sent a neighbor to my door. She asked if her family could take shelter with us, and of course I said yes. As I introduced her to my animals—Teardrop and Stormy (my cats), Lilly (my mom’s little dog), and of course Abigail—I mentioned the bearded dragon. Her eyes widened. Her stepson had lost one recently while outside with his two bearded dragons. When she saw Abigail, she said, “That’s the one he lost.”
Later, when the boy came to pick her up, he spotted Abigail’s enclosure. As he looked at her and told the story of losing his dragon, I repeated firmly, “Her name is Abigail now, and you’re not getting her back.” He hesitated, then said, “Is she missing a toe? That’s my girl.” But after hearing all she’d been through, he agreed—Abigail was home. He told me about his other dragon, Parker (who, as fate would have it, would one day join me too—but that’s a story for another day).
Abigail came into my life at just the right time. As I learned more about reptiles, I discovered a small business run by a woman named Sarah, who crafted reptile outfits to support her own rescue. Abigail got her first outfit—an adorable Easter Bunny costume—and I gained a new friend. From then on, Abigail went everywhere with me, always dressed to impress, even for quick errands.
We joined a local Herpetological Society, attended monthly meetings, and eventually I became the Fundraising Coordinator. Abigail became a local celebrity—appearing on TV news segments and featured in Reptile Expo advertisements. She visited schools, nursing homes, and birthday parties, helping to educate the public about reptiles and showing them just how lovable these animals could be.
But in late May 2022, I noticed something was wrong. Abigail, who had slowed down during brumation before, wasn't bouncing back. She was losing weight quickly. On June 9, 2022, I took her to Dr. Minson at Stoneridge Animal Clinic, her favorite vet. That’s when I received the devastating news—Abigail had stomach cancer. The kindest option was to let her go.
That day, through my tears, I made her a promise—her name would never be forgotten.
That’s how Abigail’s Angels Reptile Rescue was born.
Every day, I carry her memory with me. I believe she’s up in Heaven now, waiting to greet every little soul who doesn’t make it, letting them know they were loved, even at the end.
She wasn’t just a pet—she was my heart, my teacher, my angel.
