by Lynn Blaylock
12 years ago I went to the animal shelter to adopt a large dog to take hiking and fishing with me.Well,love sometimes comes in small packages.At the end of the row of cages full of every size and breed of dog,sat a "little red fox" with a yellow tag on his door which meant he would die the next day.One look in his eyes and I could not see any other dog.Rusty was a sheltie mix, and I loved him in a heartbeat.He spent many happy years hiking,fishing and camping with me. It was Rusty that helped me recover from 3 brain surgeries,and I helped him recover and adjust to losing an eye.One morning I took him on a hike and the next he was ill. I knew instantly that it was serious but the vet just sent him home with pills.The next morning he was in ICU for acute kidney failure.After a week in the hospital without improvement,he was to come home with me to spend his final days in his home.Only one hour before I was to bring him home,something happened.We will never be sure what,but he started screaming in pain.Right before my eyes he was struggling to live.As I held him,I told him to let go,that I'd be ok.He screamed again and the Vet gave him the shot to forever end his agony.I held him and carried him to his favorite place called "Hope Valley.There he is buried.I visit him often,but the pain of his loss will be with me forever.I love you little red fox.