I have 2 dogs, Mickey I raised from a puppy, now 11 and Angel, a rescue that I did about a year and a half ago, older, age unknown. I decided I wanted to get a second dog and felt after already picking a pure breed and raising from a baby, a rescue was the way to go. I loved every minute of raising Mickey to the great dog she is now.

I picked Angel sight unseen, just a few lines of a description "Small Black Senior Terrier". I got in touch with the rescue center and told them I was intrested, they asked for me to come in to meet her. I did not bond with her, I did not fall in love with her, I did not instantly "KNOW" she was the right dog for me but I felt sorry for her. She was taken from abuse and neglect. She was not a pretty dog, she looked worn and bewildered and she still sort of smelled. I believed that she would be a good dog if someone took the time to care for her properly. After a few days, they dropped her off at my house and she and Mickey got along OK wich was my biggest concern.

She was very quiet, did not make a sound, did not explore, she just laid down on a large floor pillow and rested for the first few days. I let her sleep on the foot of the bed the first night, she laid quiet but I could tell she was comfortable by how she snored that first night. I made a promise to myself to do the best I could to help this little abused dog. I got her vet care, grooming, good food and toys ( which she has never learned how to play with them). I did not take long for her to blossom, she became very excited to see me, was THRILLED at dinner time, and jumped up on 2 paws to go for a walk. She looks so much better today, glossy coat, clear eyes, shy but happy temperment and very very attached to ME!..

Angel stopped eating about 2 weeks ago, I can coax her to eat, but I knew there was something off. She also seemed tired, so of course I took her to the vet. We now know after may tests that she has Hepatitus. I have tried to find out what I can and it seems that she may be able to survive a while but then she might not. I am preparing myself for something bad, I don't want this to happen but I am trying. I am so pleased that I was able to turn her life around for the last year and a half but I was hoping to have it last longer both for me and for her. I thought telling Angel's story here would help me address the real possibility that she may be taken from me. I also wanted to tell people that there are SOOOoooo... Many deserving dogs, Living in cages, with nobody to play with them or care for them out there. I know a lot of you are in such pain, something that I am preparing for but I swear I will rescue again. To see a dog go from scared and shy and looking a wreck and to transform them is a great gift, a great feeling that YOU saved this dogs life. I hope some of you would consider doing this as I did for my little Angel.....

PLEASE PARDON ALL CAP LETTERS. I'M TYPING WITH ONE HAND AND IT'S EASIER FOR ME. THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING ...

DEAREST MICKYANDANGEL, BLESS YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO BY RESCUING THESE ABUSED FUR KIDS. I WOULD HAVE ANOTHER RESCUED GREYHOUND NOW HAD BUDDY DOG NOT COME ALONG NEEDING TO BE RESCUED FROM ABUSE AND NEGLECT. I'VE HAD HIM AROUND NINE YEARS. HE'S HOMELY LOOKING BUT HE'S VERY DEAR, SWEET AND LOVING. PRETTY DARNED SMART, TOO.

YOUR ANGEL SOUNDS SO MUCH IN PERSONALITY LIKE MAIDEN, ONE OF THE GREYHOUNDS I RESCUED IN 1987. SHE WAS 6 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME, HAD BEEN FOUND IN A PILE OF DEAD AND DYING GREYHOUNDS CUZ I GUESS IT'S JUST TOO MUCH TO ASK SPENDING $5.00 OR LESS TO EUTHANIZE A RACE DOG ONCE ITS OUTLIVED ITS USEFULLNESS. AND TO THINK THAT ONE DOG ALONE HAS COLLECTIVELY MADE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR PEOPLE AT THE TRACK. EVEN THOUGH MANY OR MOST GREYHOUNDS ARE NOW GIVEN TO A SHELTER BY THE RACE TRACK WHEN THEY NO LONGER WANT THE DOG, THIS SORT OF THING STILL HAPPENS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I DON'T SUPPORT DOG RACING AND WONDER HOW MANY GAMBLERS WOULD IF THEY ONLY KNEW.

MAIDEN WAS A WHOLE LOT LIKE YOUR ANGEL. SO QUIET, WOULDN'T PLAY WITH TOYS, WOULD LET ME PET HER BUT LOOKED SO SCARED. HECK, SHE WAS TRAUMATIZED FOR GOSH SAKE AND SCREAMED ALMOST EVERY NIGHT IN HER SLEEP. I'D GENTLY WAKE HER THEN SPEND THE REST OF THE NIGHT CURLED UP WITH HER ON THE FLOOR. MY COCOA KITTY HELPED MAIDEN A BUNCH ALONG WITH ME. STILL, IT TOOK ABOUT A YEAR OF LOTS AND LOTS OF TENDER LOVING CARE BEFORE SHE CAME AROUND, ACTUALLY SMILED AND WAGGED HER TAIL.

SHE WAS A JOY NOT ONLY TO ME BUT THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD LOVED HER, WOULD TAKE PHOTOS OF THE OTTER THAT LIVED IN OUR SMALL LAKE HERE AS IT TRIED ITS BEST TO GET MAIDEN TO PLAY WITH IT. SUCH A SIGHT TO BEHOLD. THEN THERE WERE OUR DAILY WALKS ON THE LEASH AND ABOUT 10 OR MORE KITTIES WOULD FLOCK TO MAIDEN EACH TIME. SHE WAS SO CAREFUL NOT TO STEP ON THEM. YEP, NEIGHBORS TOOK PHOTOS OF THAT AS WELL.

I AM SO VERY SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR ANGEL FUR KID. HOW FORTUNATE THAT YOU CAME ALONG AND GAVE HER SUCH JOY, SO MUCH LOVE AND MORE. MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU AND YOUR PRECIOUS ANGEL FUR KID. YOU ARE VERY SPECIAL!!! THANK YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN FOR WHO YOU ARE AND ALL YOU DO.

PLEASE COME BACK TO TALK MORE ABOUT HOW ANGEL AND YOU ARE DOING WHEN YOU'RE ABLE. I DO SO MUCH WANT TO KNOW. THANK YOU FOR CARING AND SHARING.

MANY COMFORTING HUGS!!!

ALWAYS,
DOTTIE xoxoxox

Thank you so much for posting this message. My dear Jack died on April 11 - I had to send him to the bridge after he became very sick from kidney failure very suddenly. He was somewhere between 14 and 15 and I had him for more than 13 very wonderful years. He was the last of a group that I had together - 7 total, and I thought I would die. For several weeks I could hardly get out of bed. I am disabled and don't work so he really was my whole life and without him, it seemed like I had nothing to give me a purpose or reason to get up. Then I started looking on Petfinder and went to the local shelter. I ended up coming home with Sweetie, a 6 year old Shepherd/Akita mix. I will of course never ever forget about Jack and am still mourning him, but I felt that I could honor him (a rescue himself) best by giving another dog a home. Sweetie has turned out to be an amazing gift. She is a great dog in every way, a joy to be with, well behaved and playful, loving....everything anyone could possibly want and more. I can't imagine why someone would turn her over to the shelter but I'm glad she's with me now. So yes, shelter dogs are great in every way. I really hope you can find a way to get Angel's hepatitis treated. I myself had chronic hep a number of years ago and they treated it with interferon and ribarviron and I have been in remission fully ever since. I wonder if they have anything like that for dogs. (Of course there are many different types of hepatitis too but my point is in humans it can be treated if the liver itself is not too damaged.) Don't give up hope. Is she very very sick? I really hope she pulls through. I know from going through it so many times how devastating it is to lose a sick dog and I will pray for you and Angel (and Mickey too).

Take care.

Angel was pretty sick a week ago, I started her on a few meds that seem to be working and she is more like herself for now. Hepatitus in dogs is different but the measure of sucess will be if her liver is permanently damaged or not. I believe she had this for a while, before I got her. The only way to have known she had it in the first place was from the liver biopsy that we had done last week. I hope little Angel will be with me for more time. I can't say enoucgh though about all the dogs still in shelters stuck in cages, no one to pet them, care for them. I am sure they are wondering what they did wrong. TO all the people here that are in such pain for losing their beloved pet, You can't replace the one you lost but you can literaly save a life and re-build a relationship with a lost soul. Angel went from being bewildered and scared to happy, loving and in some unspoken way, thankful that someone got her out of that terrible place. I think your lost pet would not feel betrayed that you wanted to honor their passing by doing something that was not a replacement but an emergency life saving action.

I hope we all find peace

MICKEYANDANGEL, I HOPE AND PRAY THE SAME FOR YOU AND YOUR ANGEL FUR KID. BLESSINGS!!!


I WILL SAY A BIG AMEN TO THAT. I ALSO SURE DO HOPE WE ALL FIND PEACE!



ALWAYS,
DOTTIE xoxoxox