Lady's Arrival - I had agreed to take a senior shephard from a shelter. They agreed to meet me half way. I took a large carrier. When I got to the meet point, and saw Lady, I thought wow, I misjudged her size. Needless to say she wasn't going to fit in the carrier so she rode in the back seat area. I got her all settled in. Then I checked her picture and shelter id and saw it did not match for the dog I thought I was going to pick up. So I emailed the shelter and sure enough they had sent Lady instead of the senior shephard I had tagged. They wanted to know if I wanted to return her - of course I did not want to return her. I think Lady came here for the sole purpose of having just a short time to be a dog and she did enjoy the time she had here even though she was old, weak, and fragile. 

 

Lady had suffered terrible neglect. She should have weighed 80 lbs. She weighed just 48 lbs.

 

When she arrived she was severly matted and had a big growth on her paw (the size of  a golf ball). She had been starving and I was feeding her twice daily to get some weight back on her. I was shooting to get her from 48lbs to 60 lbs. Lady's condition was terrible but she was so gracious......I thought at one time you must have been a real Lady. So, she was named Lady.

 

She was 18 the vet said. So at one time she must have had a good owner.....at least I like to think so. I'll never know Lady's story - only the ending part.

 

Lady took life at a slower pace. She enjoyed watching the younger dogs frolic around. She would sit in the yard with her ears up watching intently. She followed my every move. She loved going in the shop with my husband. I grew to love this regal old dog on a very short amount of time.

 

Monday evening, I noticed Lady wasn't eating as heartily and she was drooling heavier than usual. I rushed her to our vet. She had a high fever. He gave her two shots and medicine to bring back. Lady was weak. The vet had to carry her back out to my van. I got Lady home and settled in. That night I checked on Lady throughout the night - offering fresh water and helping her hold her head up to drink. The next morning she was holding her head up and I was hopefully the antibiotics were going to be able to pull Lady through but by evening she had taken a bad turn. I made several calls to the vet and followed his instructions. By evening I knew in my heart that Lady was not going to pull through....she was just too old and too weak. I was on the phone with the vet when her breathing slowed. I was holding her paw when she stopped breathing. I asked the vet what I could do to revive her and he told me nothing - she was 18 years old and she was gone.

 

I was glad that she came to me when she needed help and I it was an honor for me to have the opportunity to help her as much as I could. I wanted her to leave this world knowing that someone loved her and would miss her and she did. I hope that she also knew that on the day of her departure she had someone standing by her side that was prepared to do anything in her power to save her. I believe that things happen for a reason. Looking back on how Lady got to me - I know she was sent here maybe just for the purpose of not dying alone or at a shelter.....rescue is often hard on the heart .......but it is worth the heartache.  

 

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12/14/08 I was out of town this evening. I had gone to have dinner with my daughter and son-in-law. My daughter called me just before I got to Greenville to tell me that she had just witnessed a dog being run over. I told her I was in town and she gave the location of the dog. I told her to get a pet carrier and meet me there (I had my dog with me). When I arrived the police were there - preparing to shoot the cute little Corgi. I knelt beside her and stroked her paw. She lifted her head and look at me, then laid back down and placed her paw in my hand. Needless to say, that was one dog who was not going to be shot! Knowing I was a rescue volunteer, the police officer released her to me. I called several vets in town but only got answering machines with no emergency number. I quickly loaded the Corgi and called my vet. I managed to cut into the usual one hour drive by 25 minutes - with my flashers on most folks were willing to pull over and let us pass. My sweet passenger almost made it to the vet. They say all things happen for a reason - I don't know why this sweet dog was placed on my path if I could not save her - my only hope is that she felt safe as she crossed the Rainbow Bridge. When my daughter arrived with the carrier, the Corgi raised and turned her head - I think my daughter must have sounded like her owner - she looked like she was relived that her people had come. Burial will be here in the Angel Paws Cemetery. I would like to be able to put her name on her stone - if this is your fur baby, please let me know. There is no charge for the burial - I just would like for her to have the name she knew. She was hit in Greenville Texas at the Wesley/Terrell intersection just before the Dollar General - she was in the Abby Carpet Parking Lot when I arrived. If you get this tragic news please know that I am sorry for your loss - she did not die alone - she knew I was there for her.