At 10 years of age I was your typical child. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents at a Campground up north. One day while out playing with my friends we came acrossed a litter of abandoned kittens underneath someone's front porch. They were crying, hungry, and very dirty. Myself and 3 other friends each grabbed a kitten and went back to our camp sites. I asked the question every parent dreads to hear "Can I keep him?" Shocked, my grandfather responded No. He was not a very cat-loving person. A neighbour of ours offered to take the cats to a near by animal shelter so they could be treated by a vet in case they were sick and be given a chance to find a home. Reluctantly i gave up the kitten and sulked for the rest of the day..
The next day however, while up at the store i saw a large gray dog run past me. She caught my eye, I had never seen anything so beautiful. the owner of the campground had two poodles, that were chasing her yipping like crazy. I watched her run, and when she left my site i continued on with my doings. later that day, I saw her again acrossed the road from me, she was in rough shape, Her fur was dirty and matted, she had burr's stuck on her, and she was dangerously thin. I coaxed her over to me and she suprisingly came, wagging her tail. I did exactly what i had done the day before and asked my grandfather "Can i keep her?" He looked into her dark brown eyes, and she looked back at him. and he said Yes.
I took my girl everywhere... She walked beside me, instant friends.
The campground owners wife, recognized the dog and said she bleonged to someone down the road that had moved out of the city... they had left the dog to die.
Upon research from other people that knew this COUPLE that previously owned her she was horribly abused. They had thrown her into their pool while she was in a kennel attepmting to kill her, they left her for days without food or fresh drinking water.. I was not about to find these people to give their dog back.
She enjoyed a steak dinner that night! Several of us worked on her heavily matted coat, gently trying to comb out what matts and burs we could get.
When we brought her home to our house after that weekend we took her to a vet, she was roughly 4-5 years old.
Due to her will to fight and survive - I named her "Spirit"
In the following months she put on weight, filling out into a beautiful high energy dog with the heart bigger than any i've ever seen. She trusted us, but refused to stay in the house... She was used to being outside all this time. So, we built her a beautiful kennel that she could enter and exit as she so pleased. An insulated dog house, extra shelter from the elements, and fresh hand cooked meals every night. She was free to run away from us, but she never chose to. A leash never went around her neck, she was just always there.
Months turned to years, Spirit remained our best friend. when my mother and I moved to australia, Spirit stayed with my grandfather while he cried from missing us. When my grandmother had a heart attack, Spirit was with my grandfather while he prayed she'd be okay (she did survive, dr's said it was a miracle)
Spirit and my grandfather had developed a bond so strong...
But all good things eventually come to an end, spirit grew old, 12 years later Spirit developed a cancerous tumor on her chest. Her once bright brown eyes grew dull, yet she did not want to let go. She would still jump around, and run up to you when she saw you after a long wait. Our vet told us, the tumor was operable, but at her age he couldn't guarantee her recovery. Through days on end of tears, the decision was made to give Spirit the ultimate gift for all the hard times she helped us through, and for allt he suffering she went through as a young pup. It was time to end her pain.
the day came, My grandfather fed her one final meal and told her he loved her. He was unable to go to the hospital with us. T'was my aunt, my grandmother and myself who had to take her in, and once again without a leash. we told her, it was time to go. She walked herself to the back of the van and hopped in... I knew that she knew what was happening. She followed us slowly into the hospital and into oneo f the back rooms.
her first injection was to relax her, we all sat with her on the floor holding onto her, stroking her soft face, however every time someone walked passed the door it would rattle and startle her, so my aunt stood with her back against it.. preventing that from happening. After a few moments, she was given the second injection and we all said our final goodbyes.
The vet had his final words to her, I remember what he said
"Goodbye spirit, You're such a good girl."
This short story is in memory if one of the best dog's i've ever had the pleasure of knowing, she was someone that could look into your soul and take away any pain you ever felt. She was one dog that showed me the true meaning of forgiveness, and love.
Spirit, I miss you so much. My life now has a void that can never be filled, your pawprints are far to large for another dog to fill. Your impact on this family will be remembered for years. And you are so loved. Rest In Peace my girl.
The next day however, while up at the store i saw a large gray dog run past me. She caught my eye, I had never seen anything so beautiful. the owner of the campground had two poodles, that were chasing her yipping like crazy. I watched her run, and when she left my site i continued on with my doings. later that day, I saw her again acrossed the road from me, she was in rough shape, Her fur was dirty and matted, she had burr's stuck on her, and she was dangerously thin. I coaxed her over to me and she suprisingly came, wagging her tail. I did exactly what i had done the day before and asked my grandfather "Can i keep her?" He looked into her dark brown eyes, and she looked back at him. and he said Yes.
I took my girl everywhere... She walked beside me, instant friends.
The campground owners wife, recognized the dog and said she bleonged to someone down the road that had moved out of the city... they had left the dog to die.
Upon research from other people that knew this COUPLE that previously owned her she was horribly abused. They had thrown her into their pool while she was in a kennel attepmting to kill her, they left her for days without food or fresh drinking water.. I was not about to find these people to give their dog back.
She enjoyed a steak dinner that night! Several of us worked on her heavily matted coat, gently trying to comb out what matts and burs we could get.
When we brought her home to our house after that weekend we took her to a vet, she was roughly 4-5 years old.
Due to her will to fight and survive - I named her "Spirit"
In the following months she put on weight, filling out into a beautiful high energy dog with the heart bigger than any i've ever seen. She trusted us, but refused to stay in the house... She was used to being outside all this time. So, we built her a beautiful kennel that she could enter and exit as she so pleased. An insulated dog house, extra shelter from the elements, and fresh hand cooked meals every night. She was free to run away from us, but she never chose to. A leash never went around her neck, she was just always there.
Months turned to years, Spirit remained our best friend. when my mother and I moved to australia, Spirit stayed with my grandfather while he cried from missing us. When my grandmother had a heart attack, Spirit was with my grandfather while he prayed she'd be okay (she did survive, dr's said it was a miracle)
Spirit and my grandfather had developed a bond so strong...
But all good things eventually come to an end, spirit grew old, 12 years later Spirit developed a cancerous tumor on her chest. Her once bright brown eyes grew dull, yet she did not want to let go. She would still jump around, and run up to you when she saw you after a long wait. Our vet told us, the tumor was operable, but at her age he couldn't guarantee her recovery. Through days on end of tears, the decision was made to give Spirit the ultimate gift for all the hard times she helped us through, and for allt he suffering she went through as a young pup. It was time to end her pain.
the day came, My grandfather fed her one final meal and told her he loved her. He was unable to go to the hospital with us. T'was my aunt, my grandmother and myself who had to take her in, and once again without a leash. we told her, it was time to go. She walked herself to the back of the van and hopped in... I knew that she knew what was happening. She followed us slowly into the hospital and into oneo f the back rooms.
her first injection was to relax her, we all sat with her on the floor holding onto her, stroking her soft face, however every time someone walked passed the door it would rattle and startle her, so my aunt stood with her back against it.. preventing that from happening. After a few moments, she was given the second injection and we all said our final goodbyes.
The vet had his final words to her, I remember what he said
"Goodbye spirit, You're such a good girl."
This short story is in memory if one of the best dog's i've ever had the pleasure of knowing, she was someone that could look into your soul and take away any pain you ever felt. She was one dog that showed me the true meaning of forgiveness, and love.
Spirit, I miss you so much. My life now has a void that can never be filled, your pawprints are far to large for another dog to fill. Your impact on this family will be remembered for years. And you are so loved. Rest In Peace my girl.
