In the middle of the foot and mouth crisis in Ireland in 2000-a friend who worked in a local animal rescue rang me to ask if I could home a german sheppard that was locked into a house when it's owners left and posted back the keys to the bank.The I am a sucker for dogs so I said I'd go check her out and maybe foster her for a short while as she would be put to sleep by close of business that day.
The dog I saw in the kennel shocked me to my chore.She was a walking skeleton and barely managed a tail wag and head lift when I approached her.She had been beaten and tortured-it seemed like her spirit was broken.Right then and there I signed the paperwork to take her home and so began the 4 hourly protein feeds and washing her pressure sores with iodine.All the time I was working on her sores or feeding her she would never take her eyes off me...she'd try follow me when I'd leave the room or she couldn't see me.
Slowly she made progress and when I took her to the beach for the first time-I saw a different dog.She came alive.She trotted around,she swam,she sat beside me on the sand looking at the sea birds and because she was so happy I couldn't bear to take her home so we watched the sun go down together.
Years (and other foster dogs) came and went and we were best friends.She'd talk to me with her eyes-I'd know if I was home late as I'd be given the evil eye or if she helped herself to something from the cubbord without me knowing I'd get the shy eye when she was caught. My best friend was by my side as I met boyfriends-and was by my side when I was without boyfriends...always a comfort with her head on my lap and big brown eyes telling me to stop crying 'cos WE will always be ok.
I met my partner and we moved from our little house to his big house.She loved Patrick-the first time I saw her at ease with any man other than my Dad whom she also loved and trusted.Patricks house has a huge garden and she loved spending her day sniffing around,chasing birds,rolling on her back looking at the sky and generally "minding" us.
I went into hospital in March 2009 and missed her so much.One day while Patrick was visiting me he mentioned that she seemed sad and was very withdrawn. I was discharged for a week and went home to find a dog that was happy to see me but was spending a lot more time in her bed.I put her humour down to pain from her dysplasic hips and gave her her meds hidden in treats.
I had to go back into hospital in May and one day Patrick rang me distraught as overnight she wouldn't get out of bed or eat for him.
I came home and made an appointment to see the local vet.I was shocked to see her when I got to the house...she was giving up.
We carried her in a blanket to the car and went straight into the surgery when we got to the vet.The moments in that room dragged like bricks.As he was preparing to examine her she started to gag.She was going but I didn't want to hear that fact confirmed.The vet explained that 13 years old or so for a G.S. was a good age.I asked him to run tests-refusing to let her give up.Looking back now-I see that the vet was trying to tell me to give her peace,Patrick was tring to get me to see that she was ready to go but I didn't want her to. The vet agreed to give her 24 hours on a drip and take bloods to test...as he went to locate a vein her whole system shut down and my girl was going fast.I put my face down to hers and spoke to her-slowly and calmly thanking her for her love and trust.I told her I loved her more than anything and she will always be my girl.The vet found a vein and I gave him permission to help her go to rainbow bridge. I held her and gently sang "our song" to her...'u r my sunshine,my only sunshine.U make me happy when skies are grey.U'll never know dear,how much I love u-please don't take my sunshine away' over and over until I heard her give a huge sigh and I felt her go.
Patrick remarked that even in death see still wouldn't take her eyes off me and when I cleared my tears and looked down at my girl she was looking straight at me.

She was her own woman and Patrick thought it only right that she get her own garden.She is buried in the garden she loved to play in and we fenced off the area around her grave and have a bench in the wee garden so I can still sit with her.

I miss her so much but know that she is always with me and waiting for me to join her at Rainbow Bridge.

Thank you for taking time to honour my brave girl by reading our story.

Sonya