Nala is a beautiful husky mix and the beloved companion of Cheryl Masaleski. During the winter months, Nala takes agility lessons with Barbara Bounds at Paws N Reflect near Wellington, Florida. She absolutely loves it and has so much fun flying over jumps and dashing through tunnels.
Nala is the ultimate ride-or-die companion. From early morning gym sessions to running errands after work, she’s always ready and excited to tag along. She brings energy, loyalty, and a spirit of fun to every part of the day.
Honestly, every day with Nala is a favorite memory. She has an incredible gift for making people smile, and her vibrant personality brings joy to every moment. Whether it’s through a goofy antic or a quiet cuddle, Nala reminds Cheryl daily how lucky she is to have her in her life.
Nala’s story began with Hounds in Pounds, a rescue group based in New Jersey that saves dogs from the South and helps them find loving homes. Cheryl had lost her previous dog to aggressive cancer a year and a half earlier and knew she wanted to rescue again. She was set on meeting the right pup in person, even walking away from several potential adoptions that didn’t feel quite right.
But something changed when she saw Nala’s profile.
Nala and her siblings had been seriously ill with Parvovirus. Out of a large litter, only Nala and three others survived. Cheryl was told she’d need to “pre-adopt” Nala, signing papers and paying the fee without meeting her in person since she was still in Georgia awaiting transport. Although this went against Cheryl’s initial plan, she felt an unshakable certainty that Nala was the one.
She finally met Nala at a gas station off I-95 in Virginia. Cheryl was at a horse show at the time, so she intercepted the transport there. When they handed Nala over, she was tiny, scared, and it almost didn’t feel real.
They headed back to the horse show, opened up shop, and Nala had to jump straight into “on-the-job training.” But she adapted like a pro. From the beginning, Nala showed just how clever and adaptable she was, settling into her new life with ease.
Her favorite treat? Ice cream!
Karinda K. is a Houston, TX based equine photographer that travels around the United States photographing equestrians and their horses. Karinda specializes in Outdoor Horse & Rider Portrait sessions that bring to life the magical relationship equestrians share with their horses, Senior Portraits, and Fine Art Black & White Background Portraits for those that want a piece of art featuring their very own animals.
Interested in Reserving a Portrait session? Schedule an Info Call Here.
Portraits for Charity was an idea Karinda dreamt up to help give back to families impacted by Childhood Cancer in memory of her husband’s sister Jessica.
If you are interested in having Karinda attend your event and host a Portraits for Charity day, send an email to equine@karindak(.)com.
Need to Contact Karinda? Email us at equine@karinda(.)com or call us at (8 3 2) 598-8715
Information shared in this blog is based on information collected at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, if for any reason this information is incorrect and you would like your horse’s blog post updated, please notify us via email.
