My dear sweet Willow
Miss Willow came to me from an Amish Puppy Mill.  For the first 5 years of her life, she lived in a box in a barn and never saw the light of day. During this time, she was repeatedly bred by many different dogs, and ultimately had 15 litters of puppies.  Eventually, she became unbreedable and was deemed ‘a useless cull dog’ and just another mouth to feed.  Had a rescue not come and got her  out she would have been taken out back and hit over the head with a hammer.
The Amish will not waste a bullet they don’t have to.

At the moment she was rescued, her life began.  When she arrived I was shocked at
her condition.  Her teeth were rotten, one eye was damaged and the other had a blank stare to it.  Appointments were made immediately to get her teeth done and to get her spayed.  Even after all this was done, she remained very quiet and slept a lot.  Keeping in mind that when she was in the Mill, she saw nothing other than her box and heard nothing except the noises in the barn.  Now that she was out in the big world, her sense were overloaded and she couldn’t handle it.  She enjoyed being held and cuddled but there was no mistaking the emptiness in her face. 

Then I got a call from the rescue about one of Willow’s puppies and could I take him in to help house train him.  Or course I said yes.  When he arrived, he immediately went on a frantic search through the house and only stopped when he found Willow… his Mama!  Right then and there, Willow’s face changed and the sadness in her face never returned.  Well, I was supposed to just foster them but I knew I couldn’t give them up so I adopted them both.

So this page is dedicated to Willow, where I will share stories with you about the dogs and cats that come into my life.

Remembering Charlie – August 2, 2016

His physical name was Charlie…. But his ‘soul’ was named ‘Loyal’.  I have known many dogs who were loyal but Charlie took it to a whole new level.  Everything about Charlie was pure and honest….and …..good.

I pray that every dog I am blessed to have in my life, will tell me when they are ready to go.   With Charlie, I always knew there would be no mistaking when it was his time.  He trusted me to listen to him and honour his wishes when the time came.  As always, my heart was screaming please don’t leave me…not now….. I’m not ready!  But Charlie was so calm and so sure.  After Dr. Matt and Dr. Paul checked him over, they left us alone together.  Charlie knew I was struggling with the inevitable, so we lay on the floor with the cool fan blowing in his face and we looked at each other.  This is what I heard from his ‘eyes’.

“I know this is hard for you and you are scared, but I…am not.  This is ‘my’ decision.  I know it’s my time and I am ready to go.   I always trusted that you loved me unconditionally and I never had to worry about whether I would have to suffer at the end of my life.  Suffering and being lonely is what we (dogs) fear the most.  Thank you for loving me so deeply and for being here with me while I take my last breath.”

He was wise and so mature.  My heart is shattered right now because we are not physically together, but somehow I feel full from what he left me with as well.  I can only assume it to be the love we had for each other.  I am truly honoured to have been blessed with having this beautiful soul in my life.

Thank you to everyone who loved…My Charlie.

Sweet Emma Emma was born in an Amish Puppy Mill right here in St Mary’s Ontario.  She was kept in a small pen 24 hours a day.  She never saw a vet.  She never experienced the outdoors.  If the Miller needed to touch her he would use metal tongues which put holes in her flesh by her rib cage.  Some of her teeth were rotten due to poor diet. There was no heat or air-conditioning in this barn.  She was so utterly filthy and matted that she couldn’t even see to walk.  Her ears were clogged with infected hair and her nails were so long they were curling under her feet. Regardless of all Emma had endured at the hands of this monster, she looked at me with a clean slate.  It took her and I, 4 hours, working together, to rid her of her matted coat, clip her nails, find her face and clean her ears.  She had never ever been touched and yet somehow she knew that I was there to help her.  After getting cleaned up, a good meal she settled into a soft fluffy bed and slept till the next morning.  She woke up and she never looked back.  She had the most beautiful heart and once comfortable with you, she had no problem showing you all the love she had.  I know I was under her spell.  One day while playing around in the dog park, a couple spotted her and came over to see her.  That was it!  They fell in love right then and there.  The adoption went through by the end of the weekend…and look at her now.  Go Emma!