We adopted Terry from a neighbor who did not want her. She even left her tied to a tree in the woods, but she broke loose & came home. Terry was a type of Coon hound. She loved going camping with our family. She would sit beside my Dad for hours while he fished. She loved swimming in the lake & fetching a stick over & over if we threw it out in the water. She was wonderful with the many children who came to our house as my sister's piano students, & my cousins 10 kids who spent vacations with us at the camp.

She grew old with us & around age 14 she developed liver cancer. My sister was her #1 care giver, though she loved us all. She became very ill but Louise just couldn't give the WORD to say good-bye. One night when the rest of the family was out, she was extremely stressed & in pain. I sat talking with her, comforting her, waiting for them to return & take her to the vet. I told her, "Terry, it will be okay. You will go to a beautiful place," (I had never heard of Rainbow Bridge then)"You can go to the lake. You can go swimming again." She looked up at me knowing the words. I said, "You can go to the lake. Want to go to the lake, Terry?" Later they came home and took her to the vet's. Louise said "Give her till morning. If she hasn't gone on her own by then I will "do it." Well, night came & with heavy hearts we slept. When we woke my Dad said to me, "I know the dog is gone." I asked how he knew. He told me he had been awakened about 5 AM by what felt like a huge wave of WATER sweeping over him! When he opened his eyes, he was dry. About 8 AM the vet called. Louise answered. She told them "I know Terry is gone."........"Yes," they said but how did you know?" She told them of my Dad's experience. "When did it happen?" they asked.
She told them. "5 am." They said, "Yes, that is the exact time Terry passed on!" No one knew of my conversation with Terry. I had not told my father or my sister, until after he told me of his dream.
But we all knew then that Terry was safe & doing what she loved most in all the world - swimming & fetching sticks from her beloved lake!
Since years have past and Dad has passed, I know she came to meet him and the two of them crossed Rainbow Bridge together. Louise might have been "in charge" but she loved Dad most of all. It was Dad she gave the message to. I am so glad I had that conversation with her. To all who doubt........I hope this has helped. It is a TRUE story. Blessings on all our babies who wait for us at Rainbow Bridge! We will see them again!