In March of 2013 I adopted "Gretchen" from Stephanie @ Second Chance Rescue in Oakland, NJ. I renamed her "Violette" but affectionately called her "Baby Momma."

Violette was a darling ~6 year old (at that time) petite mini schnauzer with a unique black and silver color. She was very shy but sweet and loved other dogs. She was one of 16 little puppy mill rescues that arrived on 2/16/13 in the care of Second Chance. Thanks to No More Tears Puppy mill rescue these special little dogs were saved from horrible lives in Amish puppy mills! They were are all adult dogs aged 1-7 years that lived their entire lives in wire cages having litter after litter of pups to be sold to pet stores.

Puppy mill dogs generally are shy but sweet-natured and love other dogs. Violette was no exception. She was the most gentle, sweet & unbelievably loving dog I have ever known. In her entire life, she never displayed any anger or anything remotely resembling negativity. She was pure love.

She had a very visible 8 inch long scar down her back starting at her shoulder blades. It appeared to be some kind of chemical burn. The fur never grew back in that spot. It served as a constant reminder to me of the hell that she had been subjected to.

She never recovered emotionally from what was done to her. She spent hours walking in circles, despite any type of behavioural therapy, calming items or even medication. Nevertheless, she was pure love---and we loved her fierecely.

In a cruel twist of fate, she was diagnosed with lung cancer on 18 Oct 2019. I will never know what caused that scar on her back but I suspect that it was the reason for why she developed cancer. In mid Sept 2019 she had developed a cough that did not seem to go away with anti-histamines, even though we (and the vets) thought it was just an allergy. We started chemo on 25 Oct 2019 after the diagnosis was confirmed via pathology. We fought the good fight but it was not to be. This cruel disease took her life on 03 Nov 2019, despite our best efforts with our oncologist Dr. Bailey.

We were with her when she passed to the Rainbow Bridge. After she had passed, we stayed with her a few minutes. Mysteriously, her tail wagged 3 times after she passed---no other muscles of her body moved or twitched. The skeptics will say that this was simply rigor mortis setting in. I know in my heart that she made it safely to the other side of the bridge & was letting me know that.

I will love you forever and you will never be forgotten my precious little girl.

"It's the wonder that's keeping the stars apart. I carry your heart. I carry it in my heart...always..." EE Cumnnings

Please also visit Percy Faith.