Animals and Pets

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

Tears were rolling down her face and I knew something was terribly wrong. A lady at our vet’s office had brought her beloved pet in as an emergency. He had liver failure. She knew there would be no going home with him. My husband and I understood her pain. Over the years, we have had a number of dogs. All have been Golden Retrievers and we have buried them in special spots when their health ran out.

Each of our dogs were different in color, personality, and size, but all were our loves. After our children were grown and out of the house on their own, these wonderful animals became our “children.” A dog lover will know what I mean.

We lost our oldest dog, Gracie, who was 14, a few years ago. We mourned for a long time, but after two years God brought us another sweet girl. Her name is Bella.

Most of Bella’s seven years had been lived in and out of a cage. That was because her master’s goal in her life was to breed $2,500 puppies as often as possible. Bella’s mother and father were show dogs and her litters brought in big money. Soon, she began to turn a little grey on her nose and I guess God loved her as much as we love her because He brought us to her as we searched out possibilities for a new pet.

At the time we first heard about the “puppy mill” where she lived, she was pregnant. We went to see her five times at quite a few miles away. After delivering five puppies and weaning them, she was ready to go…to a new life.

It had a a little curve in the road, however, when we took her to her visit to our vet to be spayed. The vet said, “I have done alot of these and have never seen so many cysts.” Bella also had an ear infection and had not been fed enough food for a new mother with puppies. Getting this all cleared up was her first step to a really healthy life. Her fur grew out beautifully and fluffy. Her ears were healed and the cysts were no more.

Her new life also was one of love, freedom, and walks by the woods where she could sniff and explore. She loved to be snuggled, groomed and given treats. Because her life had been mostly one of confinement, Bella had never seen a TV, which upset her at first…especially when some large, four-legged animal seemed to be charging her way. If she saw her reflection in a mirror or a glass door, she had the same reaction.

When it was time to sleep, which was most of the time, she wanted to find a place to lean up against a wall or some tiny spot in which to curl up and begin a long snore. That place turned out to be a tiny corner near my desk where I write books and blogs like this one. Ever so often, she will look up to see if I am still there…and all is well if she is close to us.

As time went on, she learned that our home was a place to wander from room to room…that we had water bowls…that there was no need to gobble her food because no one was going to take it from her. She also learned that she didn’t have to shiver when someone new came to visit. Over the last year, there have been great adjustments and we could not be more pleased.

Life is different. Life is good. God found her a home with security and love. He had also given her love to give back…which she does every day.