Yesterday was not going particularly well, but nothing to complain about really. I had a sad visit to make I was combining with visiting my veterinarian "Sallie" at her home an hour and a half away and I had gone to Berkeley Springs to pick up some homeopathy items for both of us. From there I headed north to I70 East. To my astonishment there was a dog pulling a cable across the opposing side of the highway!  An old dog... I could tell from her posture, speed and her rickety way of going. I brought my van to a halt quickly, flew out and amazingly the dog had safely crossed the highway on the far side. I do not know how. There was so much traffic and it is always FAST! I got to the center area the same time she did and I called her. It was windy and there was lots of fast moving traffic so I thought that might be the reason she didn't hear me and I was being ever so careful not to startle or scare her. Alas she saw me and waddled over to me with a faint smile. I waited to cross the traffic back to my van safely with her and a young dog  appears seeming to say.... a person! Yes! She will help us! My mind can hardly bare to replay what happened next. It was so quick. I can barely see through my tears to write this. But here is the worst of the story. You know, I have said for years when grooming and training dogs that the dogs speak to me and tell me volumes but the truth is that if you listen the story is all right there. THis is a good example of that. The cable on the dog was not worn, nor chewed... it was cut. The collar on the dog has a new ring because it had worn clean through! The TWO dogs on the highway at the same time was not a coincidence, they were left! What a horrible thing to do to dogs! I do not know how I made it to Sallie's sobbing all the way, but I do know that when I got to her place we found that she is an old dog with a soft mass in her rib area, very thin, not great health simply from bad care and she gimps like she has had broken bones, not like pain from achy joints alone though I do not doubt that either. This dog has never lived in a house but rather tied out. This we know from the worn ring on the collar. She is so very compliant and seems to just accept her lot in life. When I awoke today I trampled down the stairs as I always do, the dogs are all barking hearing me and I went to this old girls cage and she did not arouse. I spoke to her and then more loudly. She wasn't a puddle like a dead dog so I closed the crate and later came back to her. She is completely deaf. Today she seems so grateful to have short walks, a warm house, a soft bed and kind words every time a human passes. She is starting to smile a lot. To think this dog is grateful for such small things breaks my heart! I called my aging mother who has not wanted a dog in years but I think is slowing down enough now that she would enjoy a gentle old friend to watch TV with. I just need to get her a ride to Michigan. If anyone reads this and can help, please let me know. Until then, I have a cute little hairy kitchen mutt I need to name. Got any ideas?

 

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