Saying Goodbye is Hard

Today we said goodbye to our sweet girl, Angle.
She was 16 years old

 

Several years ago, my niece called and asked if I would keep her four-legged children. She was in the middle of a divorce and having to relocate.  The only other option would be an animal shelter in a large city -where they would end up a statistic. So, of course, these two sweet faces came to live with us. They were 10 years old.  

Oreo and Angle

Oreo and Angel - they waltz into our crazy life.  We already had 10 rescue dogs of our own, but these two were bonded and needed to be together.  Oreo is bossy, he doesn't like other dogs - but he loved his Angel. 

Angel was happy to sit in the swing and watch me read. She never barked - not even when Oreo was pushing her around.  She never worried about getting dirty she would roll and roll in the grass (I always wondered what she was rolling in).  She loved a home-cooked meal or fast food - she simply loved food. If I was eating it, it had to be good and she would gladly share.

She developed renal failure a few months ago - I knew we were starting the walk towards the Rainbow bridge, but she pulled out of the renal failure and continued to be her happy self.

Till Monday - on Monday she was back in renal failure - Dr. Cato, my friend and four-legged babies doctor tired to make her better, but her worn out kidneys just could not be restarted.

This morning she was trying so hard to hang on - for me.  she kept looking at me, like I am trying Mom, but she was struggling for each breath.

So with me,  The Big Man, Dr. Cato and his awesome staff we said good bye.
I know my sweet Angle is running in heaven, rolling on each patch of grass she can find. 
Oreo and I will miss her greatly - my hope is that when I get to heaven I will see her again.

Life is short - It is hard to let go of someone you love...
Hug the ones you love

~ Connie ~

 

 

Weekly Wrap-Up ~ Working With The Humane Society

This has been another crazy week, work,  adult health clinical, the free health clinic, and the humane society pet adoption day. Exhausted but bless is how I describe my life. 

 

Because my life is crazy with school I usually do not attend pet adoptions days - I also do not attend because I cry and want to bring home the dogs that are not chosen.  This week the Big Man and I decided to help out - it was an emotional day, but this time in a good way. 

“Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever” (author unknown).

 

The Blytheville Humane Society changed the life of 5 dogs and 2 cats on Saturday. 

A group of dedicated humane society volunteers took several dogs and cats to Petco in Jonesboro (60 miles away).  The humane society’s participation in adoption days at Petco will assist the humane society in becoming eligible for Petco Foundation grants and gives the animals an opportunity to show their personalities to the public.

On Saturday the world changed not only for the animals but also for the loving families that opted to adopt a shelter dog. 

Sinbad a sweet young adult, Cairn terrier/Shih Tzu Mix whose owner surrender him because, they no longer wanted a dog, found a home.  His family had spent the morning looking for a dog, they decided to stop by Petco just to see if any of the local rescue groups where at the store.  It was love at first sight, Sinbad was taking it easy in a volunteers lap when his new family spotted him.  He immediately perked his ears and almost smiled.   

Harmony, a terrier/pug mix had been previously adopted and was a very good girl.  Sadly, one of the children in the house was allergic to dog dander and Harmony was returned to the humane society.  Harmony spotted her forever Dad the minute he sat down with the dogs, she could not get in his lap fast enough – she left walking tall on her new leash.

Caleb, a young shy chiweenie (dachshund / Chihuahua mix) who was found starved & abandoned in a storage facility, picked his new family while the family was playing with the other dogs.  As the volunteers watched a young family play with the dogs, Caleb sat in the corner watching the family. The minute the lap of the child in the family was empty, Caleb sprinted across the space and jumped in the child’s lap, as if to say, yep you are my forever family. 

Courtney, a Chihuahua/Fox Terrier Mix found her forever home. She went home with a young lady who was all smiles as they left, the volunteers wonder if Courtney’s little feet will ever touch the ground.

Isabelle a very sweet 2 year old who is  great with kids and other dogs, was the last dog on Saturday to get her forever home.  Remember Caleb the chiweenie that picked out his family, the family had really thought Isabelle was the dog they wanted, but Caleb won.  The family felt they might know the perfect home for Isabelle, a grandparent’s home.  Before they left with Caleb they sent their grandparents a picture of Isabelle.  As the day came to an end the volunteer started backing up to bring those who did not find their forever homes back to the shelter – Isabelle was placed in a vehicle and started home. The young family came rushing back to the store for Isabelle, the grandparents thought she was perfect and wanted to be her forever home.  The volunteers could not have worked faster – they called the volunteer driving Isabelle to the shelter, she turned around and drove back to Jonesboro.

The volunteers will do anything to help an animal find a forever home.  After a few tears were shed, Isabelle left headed to her forever home. 

The packing up to go home continued slowly, because during the time the volunteers were waiting on Isabelle to return, a very sweet lady found her forever cat.  Suki, Siamese cat who had been in the shelter for over a year.    

Saturday was an emotional day for the volunteers and the animals, but in the end, life was changed for 5 lucky dogs, 2 cats, 7 special families who opened their homes to a shelter pet and for me - I realize I can not save them all - but I can make a difference.

~  Connie ~

 

Weekly Wrap Up - Tragedy Happens

This week started out just like any other week in our home - calendar reviewed. Plans made for a couple of meetings and my clinical hours.  Monday started like any other day- but tragedy stuck Monday.  We lost a four-legged baby - Paco Joe.  

I have cried off and on all week - today I thought I was better, till one of the neighbors asked about him...the lost and hurt came flooding back.  I know it will get better with time, I miss this little guy.

 

 Paco Joe was a rescue, the city animal control officer called and asked us to take him, since no one could touch him.  We do not know much about his life before us - except that he was found in the backyard with 3 pit bulls - he bit the animal control officer who was there to rescue him.  At some point in his life he front shoulder had been injured, he ran with a beg-leg.

On the day we picked him up I had to wrap him in a towel to keep him from biting me. We laughing referred to him as our autistic son, he did not want anyone to pet him. At times he would get so mad if you tried to pick him up or another dog came near him, he would have an anxiety attack.

With all of his issues - we were his family.  When I sat on the cough he would lay on the back of the couch and nestle in my hair, of course if I tried to pet him he would growl and nip at me.

Life is fragile - be sure to tell those you love how you feel, hug you babies (two or four-legged).

I know Paco Joe is running free in Heaven

Praying everyone has a great week
~ Connie ~

 

 

Fur-Children Are Great Teachers

For those of you who don’t know, after raising 6 adult children I have become the proud mother to 13 four-legged fur-children.  Each is very special to me and my husband.  They are all rescues. 

 

What does it mean to be a rescue – it means that as some point in their life, their person decided they couldn’t or wouldn’t keep them.   Being rescued,  to a four-legged child, means never being alone, hungry, or scared.

Life has become more interesting since they came to live with us.  There is always puppy kisses to be had, tails wagging and of course a few blankets to wash and puppy hair to vacuum, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

After a long day at work (hospital) I was grading discussion questions (online teaching) when I started watching the “little kids” playing.  The little kids include MeMe, Paco Joe, Clinnie, Clowie, Sir Duke and Shasha Grace (160lb Mastiff – she doesn’t realize she isn’t a Chihuahua).  

They play hard – they love hard. 

 

I am thinking I need to remember what my four-legged fur-children have taught me.

~ Connie ~