Rainbow Bridge

"Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food and water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they miss someone very special to them; who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. The bright eyes are intent; the eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to break away from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. YOU have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together......."

Unlike most days at Rainbow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray, damp as a > swamp and as dismal as could be imagined. All of the recent arrivals had no idea what to think, as they had never experienced a day like this before. It wasn't long before an elderly animal came into view, head hung low and tail dragging. The other animals, the ones who had been there for while, knew what his story was right away, for they had seen this happen far too often. He approached slowly, obviously in great emotional pain, but with no sign of injury or illness. Unlike all of the other animals waiting at The Bridge, this animal had not been restored to youth and made healthy and vigorous again. As he walked toward The Rainbow Bridge, he saw all of the other animals watching him. He knew he was out of place here and the sooner he could cross over, the happier he would be. But alas, as he approached The Bridge, his way was barred by the appearance of an Angel who apologized, but told him that he would not be able to pass. Only those animals who were with their families could pass over The Rainbow Bridge.

With no place else to turn to, the elderly animal turned towards the fields before The Bridge and saw a group of other animals like himself, also elderly and infirm. They weren't playing, but rather simply lying on the green grass, forlornly staring out at the pathway leading to The Bridge. And so, he took his place among them, watching the pathway and waiting. One of the newest arrivals at The Bridge didn't understand what he had just witnessed and asked one of the animals that had been there for a while to
explain it to him.

"You see, that poor animal was a rescue. He was turned in to rescue just as you see him now, an older animal with his fur graying and his eyes clouding. He never made it out of rescue and passed on with only the love of his rescuer to comfort him as he left his earthly existence. Because he had no family to give his love to, he has no one to escort him across The Bridge."

The first animal thought about this for a minute and then asked, "So what will happen now?" As he was about to receive his answer, the clouds suddenly parted and the gloom lifted. Approaching The Bridge could be seen a single person, and the older animals were suddenly bathed in a golden light. They were all young and healthy again, just as they were in the prime of life.

"Watch and see," said the second animal. The animals who were waiting came to the pathway and bowed low as the person neared. At each bowed head, the person offered a pat on the head or a scratch behind the ears. The newly restored animals fell into line and followed him towards The Bridge. They all crossed The Bridge together.

"What happened?" asked the first animal. "That was a rescuer." replied the second. "The animals you saw bowing in respect were those who felt love because of this rescuer. When a rescuer arrives a Rainbow Bridge, they are allowed to perform one final act of rescue. They are allowed to escort those poor animals that they couldn't place on earth, across The Rainbow Bridge."

Author Unknown

For those of you that enjoy poetry, please click here for some Rainbow Bridge related poems...enjoy!

It is with great sadness that I have created this page to honor those that have passed before us...but am honored to do so for those that are so deserving.

When Stormy came to us 4 years ago, he was quite a mess. He was so afraid to get close to anyone and it took a lot of love and patience to change that. We called him "hit and run" because regardless of how badly he wanted to be near you, he was so afraid. He would run up to you, kiss you on the face and then run away. Stormy was always hyper, and had remained that way up to his passing, so being gentle with him was extremely important. Being a typical Aussie (needing to interact), ignoring him worked the best. Trying to get Stormy to do something, even as simple as laying down with you, caused him stress and anxiety. So, we waited and let Stormy come to us...and eventually he did. He spent many nights sleeping in bed with us and his favorite thing was belly rubs. If you walked past him and happened to look at him, he immediately rolled over, belly up, begging for a belly rub. Of all of our Aussies, Stormy was the most obedient. If he was doing something he shouldn't, a simple call of his name would get an immediate response.

We have no idea what Stormy's life was like for the first year, but we do know that it wasn't easy...he came with so much baggage. Over the years, while he got better with us, his trust of other people decreased. He had horrible allergies, which we treated for years, never really solving the problem. Sometimes, I wonder if it was all worth it. No matter what we did, the "cure" wouldn't last long and he would literally eat the pads off his paws and scratch his ears until they bled. As time went on, he became much more agitated and our Vet thought for sure he was going to seizure and was surprised he hadn't already. We tried many medications, none effective.

On May 10, 2003, we let Stormy cross over the Rainbow Bridge. Our Vet tranquilized him, he was so high strung, 2 doses barely calmed him. Only when Dave (who he trusted more than anyone in the world) held him in his arms and stroked him, whispering what a good boy he was and how much we loved him, did he finally find peace...from his body and mind. That day was one of the most difficult I've ever lived and the decision was not easy, but we do know in our hearts that it was the right one. Sometimes, you have to let go, even when you can't.

Stormy, we love you and still miss you dearly. May you lay peacefully in the meadow, never to be bothered by your horrible allergies again and may your mind finally be free of the many ghosts you brought with you the day you came to live with us. We are so grateful for the time we had with you. Your trust (of us) and loyalty will always be remembered when we think of you...and that is often.

The name Sadie means "Sad Eyes". Sadie is a Lethal White Aussie who was lucky enough to be rescued from death at the local pound in Missouri by Kathy from SNAP (Special Needs Aussie Placement). She was loved and cared for and transformed from a shy, scared little girl into a loving, trusting Aussie. Sadie was well on her way to finding a new home, but her past of abuse and neglect caught up with her. She had an incurable cancer. Sadie had 3 wonderful months with Jim and Kathy where she learned all about love.

Trigger had been having seizures and the last one was really bad and he was never the same. Melissa helped him cross over to the Rainbow Bridge.

I know it has been a long time, but I was hit by his death hard so here is my Trigger mans story. Please put this with his pic on the page.

Trigger was rescued by Melissa Zobell of, Australian Shepherd Rescue of Utah, from a local kill shelter in May of 2002. He was a Lethal White and even though he had sight and hearing it wasn't 100%. He was 20lbs under weight, matted and unneutered. As with the normal routine Melissa immediately took him to the vet for an exam, and he got a fairly clean bill of health, despite the fact he was extremely thin. He was taken home to Melissa's bathed and fed. We waited two weeks before he was neutered to get some weight on him and he was making good progress, so we went on with the neuter. He bled quite a bit during his surgery, but this could have been because he was a lethal white, so we didn't think much of it, we just kept a close eye on him. Two days after his neuter, he seemed fine, but was really irritated with his neuter site, when I flipped him over to check it I couldn't believe my eyes!! His scrotum was the size of a grapefruit!! He never really stopped bleeding after his neuter! I rushed him to the vet and they lanced it and kept him over night, by the next morning it was the size of a cantaloupe!! They immediately took him back into what turned out to be a very risky surgery, and removed his scrotum, and surrounding tissue. The vet did some tests and found Trigger was a hemophiliac. This made him pretty hard to adopt, so Melissa decided he would stay with her. He was not housetrained, cat aggressive and marked my entire house! With love and patience he became a wonderful dog, he got over his cat aggression, was always wonderful with the kids, and had really started to gain weight. His coat was coming in and he looked so handsome. One day he was playing in the yard with my "pack" and he collapsed into a seizure. It was a horrible violent seizure, he couldn't walk for almost an hour after. I rushed him to the vet and the vet said unless he saw the seizure happen, there wasn't much he could do. All we could do was run tests, so we did, and nothing out of the ordinary. We waited and thought it was a freak thing. It wasn't and they continued to get worse, and it was hard for me to watch it especially upset the kids. We started him on Phenobarbital, and he seemed to have fewer seizures. As he gain weight we found that he had trouble getting around and his hind end seemed sore. He was then diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia. We put him on Rimadyl and he felt a little better, but wasn't really comfortable. Then he took a dramatic turn for the worse and started having breakthrough seizures, even while on meds. He then started to become violent with the other dogs after he seized in his disorientated state. One morning he was different and I knew it was time, so I helped ease his suffering and let him go over the bridge. He was only with me 6mo and in that time he became a valued part of our family, he gained weight, had a beautiful coat, was fed well, had camping trips, children that loved him, and found out how wonderful sleeping on the bed can be. Sleep tight my sweet prince! And to the irresponsible idiot that bred his litter, and to the owner that didn't care to look for him at the shelter, you'll get yours someday!! I hope you feel the same discomfort and pain he did. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to rescue him, but please don't make the same mistake again!!
Trigger we love you and will see you again someday! Love Mom, Dad, Boys and the troops!

Beau was adopted on 09/30/01 to a wonderful family in Tucson. While he was wonderful with the family, he was extremely over protective. They worked really hard at getting Beau to understand that visitors in the house were supposed to be there. He was coming along, but they always had to be careful. There were a few instances were he nipped people, but nothing major. However he did a serious bite to a neighbor at the front dog, without warning, without being provoked. It's always difficult when a dog bites, sometimes there are logical reasons these things happen and can be worked through with careful supervision. His family loved him dearly and tried everything they could to make it work, but in the end, it was just too difficult to control. Beau, may you find peace of mind and lots of love and gentle dreams on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge. You are missed by many.

I'm the person who adopted Sydney (deaf Aussie on your website this summer). Sydney was the most special, amazing, wonderful dog I've ever had. It nearly killed me when he was hit by a car & killed late last year. Altho I've got 4 acres, all fully enclosed w/5 foot fence, one night the front gate was closed but unfortunately not securely latched, and he was out on the road when a car sped by. The only good thing about the whole situation was that I was with him when he died and was able to tell him how much he was loved. I've been beating myself up ever since. I am so fortunate to have had him in my life, even tho it was such a short time.
We went to obedience classes together, and he put all the hearing dogs to shame. It took about 2 hours of being together and he seemed to be able to read my mind. He was truly wonderful and we had a wonderful 6 months together. We never would have been able to have that time together if not for you & your website.

I'm now a dedicated "lethal white" advocate (and prior to Sydney, I didn't know there was such a thing). I will always have at least one in my home (actually, I'll probably have more than one in the future, but I'm also a dedicated retired racing Greyhound person too and currently have a house full!). Take care and thanks again.
janet

This is a story about 2 special animals. One is sad and one is happy. The first story is about my cat Nannook.
    In June of 1999 my friend's cat had a litter of kittens. I took 2; one to keep and one for my cousin. My cousin could not keep the cat I wanted to give her, so I took them both. I named one Venus and the other Nannook. Nannook is the one pictured here. They were the best of friends and every night they both slept on my bed, beneath the covers, and curled up next to me. At about age 1 1/2., Nannook began to exhibit signs of urinary tract problems. He would urinate around the house in different spots and leave small red circles of urine. I took him to my vet and he was given some antibiotics. He was better for a while and eventually it got worse over a short period of time. By this time I had become a vet tech and new that his condition was severe. He was catheterized and given antibiotics. After emptying his bladder, the catheter was removed and he was given a special diet and antibiotics daily. In addition to his urinary tract infection, he had developed ringworm. I took a day off from work and when I came in the next morning, I found out that Nannook had undergone an emergency surgery to redirect his urethra. He almost died on the table but thanks to my vet and my co-workers, he did not. As time went on, he was urinating ok, and the ringworm was subsiding. However, after a few weeks I took him home and realized that he was incontinent. I brought him back in and we tried another surgery. This time, when the vet opened him up, he saw that his urethra was covered in tumors. He was euthanized on the table. I was there for the surgery but could not bear to have him wake up and be in pain any longer. I was devastated, and I could tell his sister Venus missed him terribly. Happily however, he won't be in pain ever again. He was only two years old.
    The next story is about my dog Taylor (click link to see Taylor)and it's a happy one. He is my pride and joy. When I was 13, my family decided to go to the shelter and look for a dog. So I went with my brother and my father and we picked out a one year old German Shepard/Husky mix named Taylor. He was very nervous around us, but was not aggressive at all. He was badly abused when he was a puppy and is still very cautious around men. I always loved him, but it was not until we started running together that we bonded and are now inseparable. Taylor used to jump the fence in our yard to take himself for walks around the neighborhood. Usually he would go to someone's house to play with their children, and would either come back home himself or we would pick him up later on. I ran cross country in high school, but did not like the idea of track and field, so usually winter and spring were my off seasons. Without a lot of activities, and some personal problems, I would get very depressed and sleep a lot. I became physically ill because I had no exercise and was not eating. One day though, I decided to take Taylor for a walk. Since he has a great deal of husky in his blood, he has a tendency to pull on his leash and run very fast. Eventually I was running to keep up with him. The next day we went out again, and again, and again. Now we run a mile almost every day together and he no longer runs to play with the neighbors. My health is better than it has ever been both mentally and physically. Taylor is also the reason I have decided to pursue a career in Veterinary studies. Seeing how happy I have made him now, and knowing how bad his life could have been, has driven me to feel compassion for all animals large and small.
    I hope everyone has enjoyed my extremely long email. It was mostly in reaction to Deb's story about Daisy. I do not want her to lose hope in shelters. As I said above, the hospital I work at is a shelter and kennel also. We board animals and provide shelter to strays. All stray dogs are tested for heartworm and lyme disease, given a bordatella which aids in the prevention of kennel cough, a flea pill called a capstar - which kills fleas instantly, and a rabies shot and are monitored for further health problems for the first few weeks. They get 1-2 meals a day depending on their preferred eating habits and are walked 2x a day. They have a warm, clean place to sleep and we are a no-kill shelter. The cats receive a rabies shot also, a Bordatella, and a capstar. In addition they get a snap test to test for feline aids and feline leukemia. So Deb, please let it put your heart at ease a little to know there is one shelter out there who is putting the animals first.!
    Also, the urinary tract surgery that my cat received does not always end badly. We had a stray cat that had similar problems, and the same surgery. He is now urinating fine and is in good health. I fostered him for a week to make sure he was ok, and just today he found a wonderful home with two loving people and a dog.

Sincerely,
Eryn

Scout was our latest...and most promising rescue. He came to us literally scared to death if you even looked at him. We worked at gaining his trust and eventually we did. But nobody could reach him like Mary and David (his foster parents) did. They came to see him, not knowing what to expect, and found a scared little Aussie that absolutely loved David (sorry Mary, but we both know that's exactly how it was). David also loved Scout and really believed in him. He spent much time and effort building agility equipment in the backyard, setting it up and teaching Scout how it all worked. Scout loved doing the agility, he came to live for it. And he was not disappointed, both David and Mary allowed him to "live his dream" daily.

Scout began to trust, probably for the first time in his short life, and things were good. He got to meet several potential adopters, some he wouldn't come near...some he did. I always think the dog should decide who he would like to live with. Scout was adopted and his home was very promising. He had a new friend to play with and loving parents to dote on him. Scout's new friend had to be neutered and we wanted to give him time to heal...since Scout really likes to play rough. As time was passing, Scout was changing. He had always been fearful of new people, aggressive of someone "passing by" his window, but nothing that wasn't ended with a simple command of "Okay, Scout, enough". However, the aggression grew stronger and his separation anxiety worsened.

Before Scout had a chance to go to his new home, his personality changed for the worse. He now REFUSED to be left alone or put in another room. He began to lunge at Mary & David as they prepared to leave the house without taking him. One night, when company arrived, Scout became so agitated he had to be put in another room. When David tried to leave, Scout lunged at him and bit him in the thigh. He repeated the same behavior towards Mary.

Once a dog bites without being provoked, it's a difficult situation. When Scout became agitated, he could not be reached. We spent much time and effort in saving Boots, but in the end, there was no hope. Sometimes we just cannot reach the mental reasoning of why bad things are happening. What we do know for sure is that Scout's last 4 months of his life were the best he ever had. He was loved very much by Mary & David, he spent quality time being loved, doing agility, going to the dog park and most of all, being cuddled, petted and held. Scout's final moments were spent in Mary's arms as she reassured him of their love and the peacefulness that lie ahead.

Scout...may your days be free of anxiety, may you run on all of God's agility equipment and may an Angel be by your side for all eternity...so that you are never left alone...not even for one minute. We will all once again be with you when we meet you at the Rainbow Bridge.

We would like to thank Dr. Irene T. Brady and her entire staff at Best Friends Animal Hospital in Mesa for all the compassion and support they offered at this most difficult time.

It is with much sadness and heartache that I write Chancie's story here on the Rainbow Bridge...it's just way too soon. Chancie came to us on August 5, 2000, (approximately 14 months old) a more well-adjusted Aussie we will never see. He simply thought our home was his next adventure. He had not been mistreated during his young life, he was simply an inconvenience, but certainly not to us. Chancie walked through that door, met the aussielads and said, "hey, let's play"...it was truly that simple. And it was always the same when he came to visit.

A very nice lady had contacted us who wanted to adopt a different Aussie, but she was already spoken for. After talking with Ranne, she thought she might like to at least meet Chancie...what could it hurt? Needless to say, the loving woman took one look at him, saw that spirit and fell in love. I have to say, the feeling was mutual...Chancie just wouldn't leave her alone. Personally, I don't think he would have let her leave that night (August 8, 2000) without him. And so began another adventure...for all of us. Ranne and her husband Ron are such wonderful, loving people and we soon became good friends. That meant we got to see Chancie often and enjoyed each meeting. Not a year had passed when they fell in love with AJ, another one of our rescues, and he too joined their family. Chancie's life was filled with love and excitement, great family and good friends. He graduated with honors in obedience class, got to chase the feline members of the family (who always encouraged him to do so...it was their game).

Sadly, today when Ron & Ranne arrived home after an outing, Chancie was not with Gus (Golden Retriever), AJ (Aussie) and Odie (Yorkie) at the door to greet them. Instead, he was lying at Ron's chair in the living room. Ranne pleaded with Ron, "please tell me he is sleeping."...but he was not. We will never know why Chancie passed away today, he had thrown up yesterday, but was fine this morning...something we all experience daily with our own dogs. But what we do know is that Chancie was never again an "inconvenience"...he was loved and treasured more than any dog could ever hope to be. He was buried today in their back yard, next to Maggie.

Chancie, may you have many cats and dogs to play with, people to "talk" to, land to run on and your favorite football to catch. You have touched our lives and you will be greatly missed. You will have many people who loved you that you will have to greet when we, too, cross over the Rainbow Bridge...we're all counting on you to be there, waiting for us.

We love you Chancie...and will never forget you and that wonderful, carefree spirit. May this "adventure" be as pleasant as your last.

Boots was laid to rest today...may he now truly rest in peace! Boots came to us in November of 2000, rescued by AAWL when his original owner left his fate in the hands of the County Pound. The first day Boots came to stay with us he seemed right at home....anywhere was better than a shelter environment...the great people at AAWL knew he couldn't survive there...and they were right! We took pictures of him relaxing and enjoying the "good life" here at our home....they couldn't believe it. Boots was so easy to love, we decided to send him to one of our greatest Foster Homes...Bill and Sherie...we already had 4 Aussies...too dangerous for Boots to stay. Of course, Bill and Sherie fell in love, too. But we all knew that Boots needed more than to be part of a pack...so we all focused on getting him ready for adoption. We were successful...he was adopted...and returned...numerous times. By the time we got Boots back for good, so much damage had been done... When he first came to us, he would sleep in bed in the same position all night...just snoring away...this time...he never laid long enough to snore.

He had been with us for 3 months with no expectations...no demands...we just wanted him to feel safe...loved...but he never could. Are we to blame??? Was it something from his breeding???? Was it all his experiences of never belonging??? I don't know...I wish I did.

Please know that Boots was loved...very much. And we were there at the end holding him and letting him know how much he was loved and...hopefully helping him cross to the Rainbow Bridge knowing he was loved and finally feeling safe...and never so anxious again. During the last 3 months, we tried numerous medications, various tests, donated by wonderful people like Judy...but he had no physical ailments...it was all beyond what we could reach or reason with.

Boots, you are in our hearts forever...you have touched what we didn't even know existed...and for that, we will be forever grateful to have loved you...slept with you...and held you. May you run freely with no fears or anxieties and never have to scream again.

We would like to thank Dr. Irene T. Brady and her entire staff at Best Friends Animal Hospital in Mesa for all the compassion and support they offered at this most difficult time.

Boots, may your new life be full of butt rubs...kisses and ear scratches. Our hearts will someday mend but we will never forget you or what it feels like to now be without you. Run in the grass, pee on the roses and wait for us...

Hello
I want to tell you about our Aussie mix, Rocky. She came to us on April 1, 1994. My son & I found her at a garage sale. We couldn't resist her!!! She was about 8 weeks old at the time. She was such a cute puppy & grew into a beautiful dog. She was full of energy & a great watch dog.

She spent the last several years of her life fighting a severe skin disorder. We tried several different vets (some skin specialists) and nothing helped. To relieve the severe itching... the vet put her on Prednisone. It may have helped a little. We tried about everything possible to make her comfortable. She was a strong dog. She always managed to make the best of each day. She enjoyed playing with her new friend Satch, a lab mix. She acted as her surrogate mother. Satch is now almost 1 year old.

Rocky became ill a few weeks ago. Her body no longer had the strength to fight the infection (probably from years of Prednisone). She spent most of last week at the vets & it was finally determined that she was in kidney failure. He tried his best to help her... she just didn't have it in her any longer. We decided to meet with the vet at 11:00 am on Saturday (we knew what we had to do)... Rocky couldn't suffer any longer!

I arrived about 10:00 am. I sat on the floor next to her kennel. I told her she would be better soon, petted her head (she wouldn't let me stop) & told her dad & Tony (our son) would be coming soon. I was so lucky to have this time with her! When they arrived & had said their good-byes, we told the vet we were ready... no more suffering. He instructed his tech to bring in a comfy mat for her. We wanted to be with her until the end. As they took her from the kennel she looked at me ... she laid down next to me... put her head on my leg... and it was over. She saved me from making that awful decision of putting her down... this was her decision & I will always thank her for that! She held on until I was ready to let go of her.

This is Carnegie. He passed away 01/02/01. Carnegie came to our home as a lost Aussie in November, 2000 and attempts to find his owner failed. With a little work and effort, Carnegie found shelter at AAWL where he was loved by all. He was a sweet, loving dog who enjoyed cuddling and attention. A wonderful volunteer took him into her home to foster because he was underweight and he needed some TLC. He spent a few weeks with her, sleeping cuddled up in her bed, getting special homemade food and a tremendous amount of loving. He was diagnosed with Tick Fever and soon began having seizures which became more frequent and for longer periods. His last weeks were filled with love, thanks to that special volunteer at AAWL.

Maggie Mae was born on March 16, 2000 and passed away on 12/20/00, at the age of 10 months. She is pictured as a pup and also on the day she passed away. She was the sister of Bailey, also featured on this page. Maggie survived Parvo, where Bailey did not. She was a sweet, loving puppy who in November, at the age of 8 months, was diagnosed as having a "hole in her heart". She was given days to live, but managed to hang on until December, and for that, her family is grateful. She is missed by all family members, including Chancie and Gus, the canine members. Maggie's body now rests peacefully in the back yard, close to the only home she has ever known, while her spirit runs free once again reunited with Bailey.

This is Trey. Trey was saved from a death sentence at the pound by AAWL where they offered love and safety. He was extremely shy and unable to trust because that trust was broken by someone and it was difficult to repair. Trey was diagnosed with liver disease and spent weeks at the vet hospital being fed intravenously because he refused to eat. They tried desperately to help Trey, but he had no one to love and no reason to fight. He gave up that fight for life in December, 2000. We pray that you are now running free and happy with the others across the Rainbow Bridge.

This is my Junior. He was born in June, 1991, way before I became involved in Rescue and realized what it meant to breed irresponsibly. Though I have to tell you, I have never regretted my ignorance. It all began with Pepper, our wonderful Toy Poodle (another "mistake" as I purchased him from a Pet Store). But Pep was great! He was loving, well-behaved and loved to play. Never planned on breeding him, it happened under quite unusual circumstances. Ancient history now...but Junior was the result...and what a dog! Please note that both Pepper and Junior were then neutered. He was supposed to be Michele's (my daughter, pictured with him at a much later date), but, of course, he was mine too. Had something to do with being the one to FEED him. We had a wonderful life with Pep and Junior, but all good things must sometime come to an end. I divorced several years later, taking both Pepper and Junior with me for 2 years. Times were tough and at some point I knew I had to take them back home, where they would be safe, loved and cared for. What a heartbreak that was! But life was good for them. They were home, in familiar surroundings, and could visit their adopted "grandmother" Carole, who lived next door and loved them as much as we did. I learned over the years of doing rescue that sometimes you must sacrifice your own feelings for the good of the dog. This experience helped me to be able to foster and then relinquish that dog to a new, loving home that ultimately can provide more than you can....but it's still never easy.

I eventually moved from Pittsburgh, PA to Mesa, AZ, where I now have 4 wonderful Aussies (2 which are rescue fosters that I knew I could provide more for than any other home). I always keep in touch with my neighbor (grandmother) who gave me constant great reports on Pepper and Junior. But last night she telephoned (after waiting 2 weeks) to tell me that Junior (our baby...yes, still a baby at 9 years) had to be put to sleep. Seems as though he was fine when his Dad came home from work. Went outside to potty and suddenly he came back dragging his leg. A trip to the emergency vet disclosed he had a blood clot, resulting in extensive heart damage. They suggested putting him down, but his Dad had to check with the regular vet. More tests concluded too much damage had been done. So now, after 9 short years, my Junior is gone.

Please breed responsibly. Know your bloodlines and the problems that exist in them. Do not be selfish and breed simply because you want one of your dog's puppies. Breed for the quality of life and the good of the breed, your friend.

Hi, my name's Deb. I live in Phoenix, AZ. I was just reading your story about Annie on the website, and it made me cry.

I'm sending you a picture of my Aussie mix puppy. Her name was Daisy, and she was 6 weeks old when we saw her at the Maricopa County Adoption center on 35th avenue between Bethany Home and Camelback. She had come in to the pound that day, and I fell in love with her at first sight.

Daisy was the smartest, sweetest puppy I have ever known! When she had been with us for just a little over 1 week, she developed what I thought was an allergy...usually after we went outside she would sneeze. Then it turned into a cough. To make a long, excruciatingly painful story short, it turns out she had a respiratory infection and was a symptom of the distemper.

When they told us she had distemper it just about killed me and my children. She was my little companion, my best friend. We gave her all the meds and care the vet told us about, hoping it would get her through. One night she had a horrible seizure and we had her put to sleep the next morning. She never really recovered from the seizure.

Daisy was a day short from 11 weeks old when she died. 4 of those weeks she was sick. It tore us all up to have her put down, she was so special.

The pound was notified when I first found out she probably had distemper, and I got an email from medical lady at the pound that she was very sorry and please contact her. I did, left a message, she called back a few days later and I wasn't home, so she left a message. When I called her back, I had to leave the message that Daisy had been put to sleep because of the distemper. She never called back. I truly don't think they care.

All this is sickening, it really is. There were other people there the day we got Daisy. Many families picking out a new family member. I wonder how many crying children there were a few weeks later when those family members died. Daisy had a brother that was adopted the same day, and there was another pup right next to her. A lady brought back a dog while I was waiting to adopt Daisy. She said her dog had distemper an she wanted to return it. RETURN IT! Like it was a shirt that didn't fit. Daisy wasn't even near that dog, I warned all my family to stay in the cat room with her until the dog left.

There HAS to be something done for these puppies and dogs. There is a horribly high rate of dogs with distemper coming out of the pounds. The pound doesn't seem to care. So what can be done?

It's been a couple months now, and our family has cleaned the whole house top to bottom with disinfecting stuff. It was so heartbreaking to throw out everything Daisy had loved to use. I would hold her collar out for her, and she would come and lay her neck on the collar so I could hook it. We had to throw that out, along with everything else. Now we will be moving too, so things will be even safer for a new dog.

Oh, and our other two dogs started coughing and choking too...and my mom's puppy was over one day before we found out. Turns out our two dogs had kennel cough from Daisy. And just now did the vet say my mom's pup is safe from Distemper. It's been a horrible few months.

I'm now looking for another aussie mix pup. They are very hard to find, but Daisy really put the "aussie" into my heart. We are being SO careful about who we even contact to look at their pups for sale. Won't go to the pound or Humane Society, they are too dangerous. I ALWAYS advocated rescuing dogs from there instead of buying from a breeder or home. Now I don't.

I'm sorry this is such a LONG email. I didn't expect it to be. I also didn't expect to feel so heartbroken all over again. I'm so sorry about Annie. Another dog to go through hell because of the pound and distemper, poor girl.

Let me know if you ever find any way to stop the distemper in the pounds. I'll do what I can to help.

Deb

Bailey, a beautiful powder-blue merle, came into the world and my life on March 16, 2000, the day after I found my 13 year old Yorkie dead. I went to pick up my girlfriend to do some shopping for our 4-H trip, when she asked if I minded waiting a bit as her Aussie was whelping and she wanted to make sure everything was okay. Bailey was the first one of 6
born, and I fell in love with her at first sight. Later that night she was given to me to replace Shadow, although I really didn't want to do the puppy thing, I couldn't turn her down.

I visited her almost nightly, taking pictures every week so I could show off her growth and how beautiful she was becoming to everyone. I really think they were dreading Mondays, when I always brought my new pictures and stories on her progress. I didn't care, by then I was so taken by her that I thought everyone else should be also. I was counting the days until she reached 7 weeks old so I could take her home.

When Bailey turned 4 weeks old, her mother was killed by another dog! My friend was beside herself with grief, plus didn't know what to do with six 4 week old puppies who weren't weaned. I told her I would take Bailey plus another little pup (Maggie Mae) that was born with a birth defect (a flat chest), and take care of them. I was in seventh heaven, my little Bailey was finally home with me. We had fun in finding out how to eat without mom, the eye-dropper and spoon of milk replacement weren't quite the same as mom's faucets. And the warm towel rubbed on her bottom somehow wasn't like mom's gentle licking, although the results were the same. We gradually worked up to puppy food soaked in the replacement and so forth until she was eating like a big girl.

Bailey and I really bonded and I know she loved me as much as I loved her. She could be outside and I would call her. She would come running through that doggie door, sliding across the kitchen floor until she hit the living room carpet, and fall head over tea kettle. She would jump up on my legs until I picked her up and loved her all over, all the time enjoying that smell of "puppy breath". She had her littermate, Maggie, to play with, plus my daughter's boyfriend bought her one of the pups for graduation, so that gave her another playmate. What a sight those three were, rolling all over each other, and trying to establish the pecking order at such a young age. But Bailey would always leave them whenever I would call her, she'd rather be my center of attention.

When the pups turned 6 weeks old it was time for their first shots, Ginger and Maggie acted like they were being tortured, it was actually quite embarrassing. Bailey whimpered a bit, then started licking my face and wagging her...well if she had a tail, she would be wagging it. The older she got, the more I knew I was correct in deciding to take her, I had visions of us going through obedience together, so she could train me the right way. I thought of maybe starting her in agility or herding when she was older, that would be fun for us both. We'd have years together and grow old together.

Then when the pups hit 9 weeks old it was time for their second shot. Same thing, she was so good during the shots, I was so proud of her, and told her only one more series and she'd be good for a year. I wasn't helping her much, but sure made myself feel better.

That week my daughter graduated from high school and my son and grand-daughter, aged two came over for it. Bailey loved Annika and was all over her, we laughed at the two of them and talked about how fast both were growing and the next time they came over, Annika would be able to take Bailey for a walk on the leash. They left on Saturday, with Annika saying goodbye to the pups, and saying they loved her and she would be back again to play with them.

Sunday night, Bailey was a mite quieter than usual, but I thought she was just pooped from playing so hard with baby. She was eating and drinking fine, just not as playful, just kinda wanted to sit in my lap and lick me. Monday morning she seemed a little better, but not quite right, I told my daughter to call the vet and see if they could see her. When I got home that night I was met at the door with the terrible news that Bailey was suffering from the dreaded Parvo, but the vet said that since she wasn't showing too many of the symptoms that she was giving her an 80% chance of making it. I cried myself to sleep that night and brought her up in my prayers, asking that she make it, she had already had a rough start on life. I talked to the vet in the morning, and she said she was still doing well, but that sometimes they can get worse before they get better. My daughter went to see her later in the morning, and she wasn't doing real well, but still licked her hand. By the time she got back home there was a message to call the vet. My little Bailey died about 15 minutes after my daughter left her. She was only 10 weeks old, my little bundle of mottled gray fur, my little buddy would no longer come flying thru the doggie door, would no longer jump on my legs to be picked up, would no longer give me puppy kisses, she was gone.

Then the other two puppies showed symptoms, and sure enough they also tested positive. They were in the hospital for 5 days but both survived. I asked the vet how his could happen, she said it's just one of those things, but she thinks Bailey probably had some bad vaccine, maybe even getting it from the vaccine. The other pups had the proper vaccine and were able to fight it off.

My daughter moved out and took her pup with her, so Maggie was quite lonely and starting to get into trouble out of boredom, so I was considering getting another Aussie for her to play with. At the same time Cyndi brought in a beautiful Aussie, that I could envision Bailey looking like if she were allowed to grow up, into be spayed. The vet suggested I call her and see if I could adopt her. It turns out the foster home fell in love with her and decided to adopt her. I was disappointed, yet glad she found a loving home.

I checked the website daily, not seeing anything that really caught my eye. Then came Chance!!! I called Cyndi to see if he was still available, she said yes, so I made an appointment to visit him. Well it took me all the time to walk into the kitchen, sit down, and look into his beautiful eyes to know that I had a new buddy. Chance has been with us for 1 month and 3 days and we all love him. There can never be another Bailey, but I thank Cyndi and her Aussielads rescue for giving me the chance to have Chance to love.

The pictures of Bailey were taken less than a week before her death. I will always have her in my heart and feel she deserves a place over the Rainbow Bridge. (Written by Bailey's Mom, Ranne)

09/07/00 Skylar's story is so sad...and unnecessary! I was first contact about Skylar because she had spent nearly a week at the Maricopa County East Side Shelter. This lady had been trying to adopt her, but the shelter worker's told her that she first needed to be spayed and they were short on vet help. I contacted the East Side Shelter as a rescue person, offering to adopt her with a guarantee of spay. The answer, of course, was NO. I asked when she would have surgery, I was told she was scheduled for the next day. That next day turned into next week and she still had not been spayed. As it turned out, she never was and was placed on the "E" list. This was a very affectionate, adoptable dog, but because she had to spend 2 weeks in the pound, she's no longer alive. There are no excuses for the death of this Aussie and this kind of treatment of these animals needs to stop.

The kind, wonderful workers from Arizona Animal Welfare League rescued her and named her Skylar. Of course, after spending 2 weeks at the pound, she developed an upper respiratory infection. She was cared for, loved and treated medically for this condition. When I called to check on her this morning, I was told she did not make it. She was only 1 year old. The following is an email that I received from Debbie at AAWL.

Here is my only picture of Skylar. As I told you earlier, she was a fighter with a strong will to live. Skylar loved human attention and touched alot of people who saw her at the pound, we were lucky enough to have her at our facility for a short time and give her the affection she so desperately needed. She passed away this morning despite all of our efforts and hopes. Please share her memory...

Debbie

At least she was truly loved and cared for at the end.

Tucker (Buddy )was born 03/18/98, came to our foster home on 04/17/99 and was adopted on 06-05-99 by a wonderful, loving lady in Eloy. He happily shared his new home with his new "sister" Breezy, a blue merle Aussie (also a rescue). He passed away unexpectedly on 07/30/00. When I first posted Buddy on our rescue page, I gave a detailed account of his life before he came to us (which was not good). I realize now that the situation in which he came to us is not important. What is important is the love he was able to get and give in his new family. He was treated like a king in his new home and this last year of his life is all that matters now. His "Mom" and "Sister" miss him terribly and so do we.

Kaiser passed away last year (1999). He was loved for many years by Junior's Grandmother... and many others besides her (myself included). He was a real character. Loved to steal the groceries as they were being unpacked. Carole always found something from the shopping trip under the bed. When you came into his house, he would not stop "talking" to you until you sat down and petted him. Kaiser, you will never be forgotten...you were one of a kind and we miss you terribly.

We got some bad news this evening, Annie passed away in the early morning of November 22, 1999. She was a 7 month old Aussie mix rescued from the East Shelter of Maricopa County. She came to us on 11/13/99, with what we thought was kennel cough, but turned out to be distemper. She stayed with us for 5 days, and we loved every minute she spent with us...and so did she! We took her to the vet on Tuesday, November 16, 1999 and knew then that there was a possibility that she had distemper. We began antibiotics, but she needed more than we could provide. Southwest Wildlife so generously took her into their clinic to care for her. Shortly after her arrival she began having seizures. They desperately tried to save her, but to no avail. She brought smiles to all that had the pleasure of meeting her. She was gentle and loving and she will be missed by all.

A simple vaccination provided by her original owners could have prevented her untimely death. Please vaccinate your puppies...it could surely save their lives. Many cases of distemper have been reported, especially in pound adoptions. There has to be something that can be done to prevent this from happening again. The pound was notified of the distemper. Their response was to return the "defective" dog and pick another. Something is wrong with this picture. It is up to all of us to change that.

Prancer, our Cocker Spaniel, died on August 27, 1997 at approximately 9:30 a.m. at the age of 15. My husband, whom he spent his entire life with, was there with him at the end. We miss you Prancer!