I can't imagine how you felt from that first day. Your family that couldn't, wouldn't or didn't take care of you for 9 years, just dropped you off at the Humane Society one day. At your age, you had one day before they would send you off to be put to sleep. So fortunate for me that a rescue organization saw you and snatched you up. It was just a few short days after our Molly had passed and I saw your ad in the magazine and had to have you. Those eyes, oh those eyes, looked right in to my soul and said, please help me. I called about you the same day and was surprised that you were still available. I remember meeting you in person and being just appalled at your condition. Your little ears were filled to the brim with smelly black goop, your fur was missing on the bottom half of your body and legs and you were only 40 lbs, so skinny, we could see your little bones. How could someone treat a pet this way? But you didn't seem to mind at all, just kept wagging your tail. I loved you immediately. The rescue organization brought you by just two days later. I remember seeing you jump out of the back of the car and falling in the street. I couldn't understand what was wrong with you, but I just knew I could help. The rescue lady brought me a bag of pills and special foods and drops for your ears and oh my, it was a disaster. I took you to the vet on Monday and he told me that you had multiple infections and your ears were so bad, they must be so painful. Plus you had really bad arthritis in every joint, as he said, you didn't have a good leg to stand on. Your paws were infected as well, and you literally could barely walk. Oh my, I thought to myself again, what did someone do to you?

And so it began, multiple visits to the vet, to a specialist, to a new vet. Trying every ointment and cream, baths once a week, soaking your paws twice a day, applying more creams, sprays and drops in your ears. It went on and on. When we finally got your ears cleaned out, we realized how many growths were in there. Poor girl, you were such a trooper through it all, never cried once. Just laid there on your side and let Mommy poke and prod you and put stuff on you and wash you and rub you and try to help. Then we had to have the ear growths removed. The left ear did okay after two or three procedures, but the right ear had a recurring growth that just kept coming back and leaking goo in to your ear. It must have been so uncomfortable for you. We tried everything and I do mean everything. Finally, just 9 months before you passed, the doctor said that if we removed your ear flap, then you wouldn't have any more problems. I promised Daddy when it was your time to go, i wouldn't prolong it, but the doctor said you were fine and it wouldn't affect your hearing, just removing the flap. Of course, your little floppy ears are part of what makes you so darn cute, but I had to try. I remember the absolute heart wrenching look in your eyes when I picked you up. I broke down and cried in the lobby, telling you over and over again how sorry I was to have to do this to you. And other than being woozy, you were fine. You just looked at me as if you to say, it is okay Mommy, I feel better, let's just go home. And home we went and you were so much better. That little ear never gave you another problem. You were pain free from at least your ears for the last 9 months, I almost wished I would have opted for that procedure sooner. Once your fur grew back in, you couldn't even tell. Thank you for not hating me for that drastic decision. I couldn't forgive myself, but you did immediately. You were such a good girl. Such a little angel. As the saying goes for rescues, who saved who?

And then there was the time that I had to have 8 of your teeth removed. Your teeth were so bad, you poor thing. It just must have hurt so bad to even eat. I really think that the vet believed I did all of these horrible things to you, but it really was your previous family. It still makes me so angry to remember how I first saw you.

But then I remember all of the other days. When we were successful in getting all of your fur to come in and OMG, you were even more beautiful than I could have ever hoped for. We tried chiropractors and acupuncture for your arthritis and you were so good laying in the park getting your treatments. I could tell it was helping, but unfortunately, you were just too bad off to repair, we could only help relieve the pain. I remember the walks, even when they were short. Everyone in the neighborhood knew Savannah and the "lady" that walked her. You were so kind to everyone. That day on the golf course still brings me smiles, when we came out of the tunnel and up the hill and there were six little kids playing in the water and one saw you and came running over and her Mom was yelling at her, but she didn't care. She said but Mom, it's Savannah! As if that explained everything, and quite honestly, it did. You walked right in to that half circle of children and just let them pet you and hug you and your tail just wagged furiously the entire time. I love that memory. Thank you for that. I am so grateful that I had a pet such as you in my life.