Hoarder Sisters In Georgia Face Cruelty And Exploitation Charges

Snellville, GA – Two Georgia hoarders, sisters Elisha and Leah Waller, both face charges for animal cruelty and the exploitation of a disabled adult.

Arrests were made Wednesday after authorities discovered 31 dying cats, a dog, and a disabled young man cramped inside a filthy hotel room the night before, according to the Huffington Post.

The women were ultimately exposed after several people staying at the Snellville hotel reported smelling an overpowering stench emanating from the room the Waller sisters shared.

Police identified the disabled man as Leah Waller’s 19-year-old son, who has cerebral palsy. He was found trapped in the filthy room, confined to his wheelchair amid massive amounts of animal feces, urine saturation, and garbage, reports WSBTV.

Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term denoting a group of non-progressive conditions that cause physical disability in human development.

The felines were found, many of them suffering with upper respiratory infections, open soars, and missing hair. Only two were deemed fit enough to survive. The rest, 29 in total, were euthanized.

According to local animal control, there was no other option than to humanely euthanize them due to their unhealthy condition.

This is the sisters’ second abuse-related arrest in less than two months.

Hoarding is a compulsive behavior to pathologically collect to excess, obsessively acquiring objects or even animals. However, hoarders are incapable or unwilling to discard the aforementioned acquisitions, regardless of the clutter, filth, danger or disease that can result, as doing so can cause significant distress or impairment.

Compulsive hoarding has been associated with health risks, impaired functioning, economic burden, and can result in adverse effects on friends and family members – creating frustration-fueled rifts between loved ones. Parents have had children taken away and couples have divorced over hoarding.

The troubling condition often stems from some type of psychologically engrained trauma. For one reason or another, a hoarder developed an unhealthy attachment, clinging to the otherwise innocuous, valueless item others would throw away.

The act of hoarding is dangerous as it puts the individual or others at risk from fire, falling, poor sanitation, and other health concerns.

Video & News Link: http://www.inquisitr.com/821617/hoarder-sisters-in-georgia-face-cruelty-and-exploitation-charges-video/#pZFB3BgdyEMC1WVJ.99

Second Incident: 2-year-Old Leopard Dies Due To Heat Stroke In Alirajpur

INDORE: Two year old leopard was found dead on Friday at Malpur Village of Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh.

Forest department had ruled out any poaching attempt and post mortem report revealed that leopard has died due to heat stroke.

In morning villagers spotted a dead body of leopard beneath a bridge over Hathni River on Barjhar-Malpur Road under Azad Nagar Tehshil. Following villagers from the near by areas fished out the body from water the informed forest officials.

Chief Conservator of Forest ( CCF) P C Dubey said post mortem report says that two year old leopard has died after its heart stop functioning due to shock. Shock might be due to heat stroke or may be weak and suffering from some ailment.

It is second incident under Azad Nagar Tehshil in last six month when leopard had died natural death. Earlier a mutilated body of leopard was found at Chhoti Pol Village.

Dubey said few months back villagers had killed a leopard at Chhoti Pol Village as leopard had killed their animal. Five people were arrested in that connection and sent to jail. At time nail and hair had been recovered from their possession.

News Link:–http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/2-year-old-leopard-dies-due-to-heat-stroke-in-Alirajpur/articleshow/20000968.cms?intenttarget=no

My Apologies For The Lack Of Posts: It’s A Right Pain!!

Hi folks

I do sincerely apologise for the lack of posts, & thought it time I explain my situation as the posts may have to stop for a while; believe me, I feel terrible for letting the animals down by not posting their stories…but there is nothing I can do as yet!.

Hopefully if all things go to plan, I should be back to posting several stories a day, around August time, so I do hope you all will wait for me! Being stuck in a dam wheelchair means there is little I can do regards animal advocacy…but by doing this blog, posting news stories etc. It has become my own little online fight against animal abuse. Not being able to post what & when I like is very frustrating, plus I feel I am letting you; the readers down!

As some of you know, I’ve suffered with chronic back & leg pain since a horse riding accident in 1999, that was neither mine nor my precious horses fault. (I keep meaning to write the story of how my horse accident happened & put it in the about me page, but I never get the time to write it) However, I have had several failed back surgeries, over the course of the years, to deal with my prolapsed discs & Arachnoiditis (nerve damage); along with every other type of remedial therapy going! As the years have progressed, so has the pain, which has meant increasing the drugs too!. I take a huge amount of tablet morphine  plus I drink the oral morphine, like soda; for breakthrough pain! One would think I should act like I’m drunk the amount I take, but even doctors are shocked that I take so much; but still remain lucid!!

I started to have injections into my back but they only gave me a few hours of pain relief.  The only real pain relief I got was every 6 months, I would go into hospital to be hooked up to spinal epidurals for a week at a time, just to give me a break from the pain & be able to cope with the next 6 months ahead; when you have chronic pain daily, it also makes you very depressed!! Having had so many epidural infusions over the years, I kind of knew something would go wrong one day, I’ve never been one to have much luck!! Of course, I was right, I got bacterial meningitis from the epidural, not just once, but twice…how unlucky is that?? Suffice to say, I can’t have any more epidurals as it’s too risky, besides I couldn’t put myself through that again, the head pain is horrific; nor would I put my family through the worry again!

In the last 2 years there has only been one thing that I have not tried, simply because no surgeon would do it! I have travelled up & down the country seeing so many different doctors, that I had almost given up, my pain is becoming unbearable, when not in my wheelchair, I spend most of my time in bed! I have a laptop but my broadband connection is useless, so unless I can get into my office to work on my desktop pc; no posts get done, apart from when my daughter has posted some for me, whilst I was in hospital last Christmas!

But, at last, my luck seems to be changing! About 3 months ago, my surgeon said he had arranged for me to go up to Middlesbrough to talk to a surgeon at the Middlesbrough spinal trauma unit. After a long discussion about risks, primarily paralysis etc. & more MRI scans; he has agreed to put a morphine pump in my back, providing there are no complications whilst he is actually doing it, as I have another tube that goes into my tummy, certain organs don’t work as they should…that’s as a result of the failed surgeries too! There is only one draw back…I have to come off ALL the oral & tablet morphine I currently take, or else I won’t get any benefit from the pump. The Morphine delivered by the pump will be concentrated & go directly into the spinal area giving me more pain relief  than any tablets I take at present.

The thought of coming off my morphine by 10 mg a week was & still is very daunting & very painful. But…considering I was taking 560 mg per day, when I started, as of today I have managed to get to 280 mg of morphine a day! I’m quite impressed with myself; although in bloody agony. Plus no oral morphine (well I’ve had just a little) for breakthrough pain but, nothing like I used to. 

Obviously my pain is increasing, the less morphine I take, which is the reason for the lack of posts. Pain dictates my every move, & I still have a long way to go yet, before I reach zero, reducing my morphine by 10 mg a week, that’s if I can actually get that far!! Perhaps once I stop taking it, I might start to feel a little better in myself, morphine has a lot of side effects. I guess this is a little like going cold turkey!!

However, I must remain positive, I have finally been given a chance to have a morphine pump fitted, which will hopefully give me less pain, plus not taking so many morphine tablets, has to be a bonus; they are not good for your body or brain!! So I must press on, in the hopes that I should have a much better quality of life. I’ll still be in the wheelchair, that’s for life, but if I can get my pain to a level whereby I can leave the house again & see my horses…I will be ecstatic! Plus I promise to post as many news stories as is possible !! 🙂

Jules

Twin Horses born on Easter Morning

“This is a very rare & wonderful occasion, but I can’t help thinking that their mom either was too skinny before the birth (which makes it more of a miracle) or wasn’t getting enough food during the pregnancy. These are my own thoughts, I’ve never seen 2 Skewbald (brown & white) precious little foals!”

TIFTON, GA (WALB) – A Tifton woman woke up to a big surprise Easter morning when her pregnant horse gave birth twice.

Twin Foals Are Rare Especially Healthy Ones’s

Lori Tucker’s horse delivered not one, but two fillies. An extremely rare occurrence for horses, and what’s even more astonishing is they’re both healthy.“YES, it’s very rare, & by looking at the picture of the mom further down, it’s even more surprising that both foals seem to be healthy “

Only about one in 10,000 horses have twins, and even fewer survive birth. But on Easter morning Lori Tucker was awaken by a phone call. “I really am surprised, yet very happy, that both foals appear normal & healthy!”

Sleepy time!

“My neighbour called and told me we had twins. I was actually asleep, and I was so shocked,” said Lori Tucker, Horse owner.

She jumped out of bed and ran outside in her pyjamas. Once outside, she couldn’t believe what she saw.

“To come out, the sun was up and they were running around and nursing with mama. And the neighbors were so excited…it was just…It was just the most amazing feeling, like I didn’t give birth, but I felt like they were mine,” Tucker said. “So was this premature, did this lady know the mare was pregnant? Because if my mare was near a due date, I would be sleeping in the barn with her when it got time to her due date!”

Tucker has read about twin horses online, and knows how rare they are. So she’s been keeping a close eye on the two, and is making sure Betty Girl, the mom, is taking to motherhood.”Which is why I can’t help but wonder, why was that mare so thin?”

“I don’t know if she’s got enough milk yet, but we’re gonna try to bucket feed them. But they’re nursing really good. She’s a great mama. She has really taken care of them. So I hope they just make it past these critical weeks,” said Tucker. “Well considering the skinny state of the mom, I would be suprised if she has enough milk for one never mind two!”

Tucker said the first few weeks are very important for the horses’ development. During our, visit the smaller horse Tucker calls “the baby,” took to bucket feeding for the first time, which is a good sign for the timid little one. “The foal has probably been butting moms udder…so taking so readily to the bucket could be  a sign the baby is hungry, mom doesn’t have enough weight on her to produce milk to feed them both”!

Just a couple of days after the horses were born, Tucker said they already have different personalities.

“The older one, I could tell from birth when I came out was a little more curious than the other one. She was sniffing around, seeing who I was. The little miniature one, she was kind of shy. Standoff-ish,” she said.

Tucker says the twins were born only about 20-minutes apart. She hasn’t named the horses yet, but says she’s trying to come up with some good Easter names. In the meantime, the twins will have to get lots of rest as they continue to grow.

“Now the picture below show’s mom, why is she so skinny? I know babies can take a lot of nutrients from mom (which is why they should be fed properly) but she should be nice & fat so she has enough milk for them both! Does anyone know these people? Perhaps the mare was a rescue, but I would have thought that would have been said in the news story. As far as body scoring this mare, I would only give it a condition score of a 2 at most…I would certainly be worried for their health!”

I have a problem with this, why is the mom so skinny??

Link to news post:-http://www.walb.com/story/21859812/twin-horses-born-on-easter-morning

Link to video:–http://www.walb.com/story/21859812/twin-horses-born-on-easter-morning?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8736847

“Read the following, then look at that mare. I am not having a go at the owner, there may be a reason why mom is thin…but there can be no excuse for not knowing your horse is pregnant & adding feed accordingly!”

There is actually more potential harm in bringing a mare into late pregnancy in thin condition. Thin mares have a higher incidence of embryonic death and lower foal birth rates. They also have no energy reserves for themselves or the birth process. They may have lower resistance to infection and therefore fewer antibodies to pass on to their foals.

Their milk production will be scanty, and their suckling foals will be hungrier. Conception rates for thinner mares at rebreeding are also lower. If a mare enters the last trimester of her pregnancy in thin condition, this is one time to pour on the grain to achieve a large weight gain before foaling.

Add to 1 pound of a grain mix fortified for pregnant mares to her total ration every fourth day, but do not let grain exceed 40 percent of her total daily ration.

Nursing makes the greatest nutritional demands on a mare in any phase in the reproductive cycle, and many mares are underfed while nursing. Lactating mares need as much or more energy in their diets as hard-working performance horses. However, compared to a performance horse whose energy needs increase gradually throughout his training regime, the lactating mare’s energy needs increase literally overnight.

For the first four months of their lives, foals gain between 3 and 5 pounds daily, and in the first two months, a foal depends on its dam for 100 percent of his nutrition. The mare’s energy needs are double what they were in her second trimester and three times what they were in the first. Her protein, vitamin and mineral needs are at least 25 percent higher, too. Without sufficient calories in her diet, a lactating mare’s hipbones and ribs sometime seem to appear overnight. When that happens, it means she is breaking down her own body reserves to produce milk. This not only hurts the mare, but it can also jeopardize any new fetus she may be carrying if she was rebred.

Give the lactating mare 3 percent of her body weight daily in feed. Since she can only eat a certain amount of hay daily, the best way to increase her calories is by increasing her grain intake.This is also the time to splurge on the best-quality grass hay or alfalfa you can find so that the mare gets maximum nutrition from her forage.

Because of their small digestive tracts, foals eat many small, frequent meals. It is normal for suckling foals to nurse for one to two minutes three to seven times an hour. Excessive bouts of nursing, a foal that is constantly butting the mare’s udder, a mare that is antagonistic because the foal is continually trying to nurse or below-normal weight gains all point to poor milk production.

Link:–http://www.horseweightogo.com/pregnant-mares.html

Ailing Man Desperate To Find Foster Home For His Dog

“Video to follow, sorry can’t add it to this post!

I’m praying someone out there will take Magnum into foster while his owner gets better…the whole family have been through so much, their dog is their rock & a big part of the family. Please share this around Face Book etc. let’s get this dog a happy home so his owner can recover safe in the knowledge his best friend is being cared for”

For Brent Witten his dog Magnum means the world. Unfortunately recent health problems have made it impractical for Witten to care for Magnum until he gets back on his feet.

Magnum

Now the Nampa, Idaho man and his family are looking for a foster home for Magnum so they don’t have to send him to the pound.

Back in December Witten was in a restaurant when he collapsed. Witten would spend weeks in the ICU on life support. Doctors aren’t sure if it was a seizure or a stroke, but Witten was left immobilized. Witten is doing better, but is confined in a wheelchair with limited mobility. His doctors believe it will take about eight months for Witten to regain his mobility.

Initially Witten’s ex-wife was caring for Magnum, but last month she passed away from cancer. In the interim Witten’s daughter, Laura, has been caring for Magnum. However, with the recent death of her mother, her father in rehab and several kids to look after she is unable to care for Magnum properly.

With all that the family has been through in the past months Magnum has been there for them. “He can sense when you are down,” said Laura. “He will come up to me when I am having a rough day and he will nudge me and try to cheer me up, almost like he is saying ‘I am here.’” Witten would be devastated if Magnum had to be sent to the pound so he’s hoping someone out there can foster his beloved dog until he is mobile again. “I am looking for someone to take care of him until I get back on my feet,” said Witten.

Magnum is a sweet dog, that loves kids and would do well with most families. If you can help contact KBOI2 news at 208-472-2224 and they will connect you with Laura Witten.

News Link:–http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2013/03/ailing-man-desperate-to-find-foster-home-for-his-dog/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LifeWithDogs+%28Life+With+Dogs%29

Tragic Update:R.I.P Tidus – The Dog Purposely Set On Fire By Local Youths Has Died

“R.I.P Tidus, you are now pain free & will find peace over Rainbow Bridge… you will be missed by so many; even though they never met you, you were an inspiration!! I prayed so hard that you would be well; but I guess God needed another angel by his side xxx”

“To the cowardly bastard’s that set poor Tidus the dog on fire, just for a laugh:-The innocent life that you inflicted such pain upon, for fun…for your own selfish gratification, is now in heaven! I hope you realise that what you did was something that can never be forgiven or forgotten…God will not forgive you; you will have to live with the death of Tidus, forever! I hope his agonised soul & painful cries, torture your every living moment… until the day you rot in hell!!”

Tidus, the hero, Tidus, the beautiful, Tidus, the dog that inspired the world and showed us all the true value of life passed away; yesterday in the loving arms of her owner and surrounded by us that came to love him.

His sweetness, courage, and strength in the face of a fate that many a human would consider worst than death gained him the support and admiration of millions, not only in Spain, but around the world. At a time when people strive to find signs of humanity around them and don’t find it, Tidus plea provided us both hope and it made us reflect about who we really are, and where we are going, as individuals and a society.

Through his battle for life, his small daily conquests and his ultimate loss, Tidus has given us all a lesson we shall never forget, and the lesson is this:

Every life is priceless…. every life.

Tidus was not just a dog. He was SOMEONE. He knew what he liked, and disliked, he had preferences, and wishes, and he didn’t wish to die after providing a few minutes of fun to a heartless gang of thugs.

He enjoyed playing with this friends at the park and chase after cats. He preferred the bed to the sofa, and above all, he loved people, and children. He was kind, calm and carried his suffering with a dignity that no one that met him or heard of his please will will ever forget. Yesterday, whilst he exhaled his last breath, his vets broke up in tears, and then, he was gone, and there was silence. 

And what of his killers? They remain on the loose. And they have burned three other dogs in the past weeks.

And what of the police? The police is busy, placing parking tickets and pretending nothing has happened. A pretend that will continue until someone, maybe a kid, maybe an elderly person, surely someone weak and helpless, incapable of defending himself will appear charred to the bone, as Tidus was. The day it happens, Police will be slapped on the face with the fact that they allowed serial killers to live among us.

Goodbye Tidus. It was a pleasure to meet you. Look out for us, could you?

Victor Larkhill

Link:-http://blog.myletsadopt.com/2013/01/01/tidus-has-died/

Related articles

• Very Graphic Images & Video: Tidus A Dog Burnt Alive By Teenagers, Fights For His Life (preciousjules1985.wordpress.com)
• Video Updates Of Tidus The Dog Purposely Set On Fire (preciousjules1985.wordpress.com)

Severely neglected dog rescued from Arizona shelter

A dirty, heavily matted coat hid the festering wounds on one dog’s body who arrived this week at a metro animal shelter in Phoenix, Ariz.

When staff at the facility shaved the long-neglected fur away from his body, the damage was revealed.

The dog, now known as “Archie,” had been suffering with painful abscesses for a considerable length of time.

The wounds on Archie’s body were more than the shelter was able to adequately care for, so they reached out to the rescue organization, Medical Animals in Need (MAIN) for help.

View slideshow: Arcie

On Wednesday, volunteers with the organization rushed Archie to the Bethany Animal Hospital for care.

Today, Archie is receiving long-overdue care for his severely neglected body.

Thanks to the efforts and ability of the rescue organization which answered the animal care facility‘s request for help, this suffering dog will finally have the opportunity to live a life without constant pain.

Individuals hoping to support MAIN’s efforts can visit their website at this link.

Anyone hoping to donate for Archie’s care, can phone the veterinary clinic directly at 602-242-1657, or donate via a designated Chip-In at this link

News Link:-.http://www.examiner.com/article/severely-neglected-dog-rescued-from-arizona-shelter?CID=obinsite

 

Another Update On Kenneth – Dog whose snout was sliced off.

“Another update on Kenneth, he looks great, I always knew he was going to be good looking, so pleased he has his cute face back”

“Remember what he looked like this before the operation….

“Someone had sliced right through his snout with a very sharp knife or machete. The poor dog wandered for several days before a kind person rescued him. The perpetrator has still not been found either…nasty viscous pig…to purposefully do that to a dog, then kick it out onto the streets!”

Photo original description from Dr. Guille

“Kenneth with his Innocent look….before trying to steal his neighbours food through the cage….”

UPDATE on Kenneth; October 17, 2012, From Dr. Guille Zialcita:

“We have removed his fluids for the mean time as we would like to give him a bit more freedom to move around.

Also we have discovered that he has been able to pull a couple of his stitches on the hard palate today and thus we will be scheduling him for another surgery to repair the tissue that is separated because of his movement.

Unfortunately this is a common complication in oral surgeries because the dogs are bothered by the sutures inside the mouth and their tongue plays around with the suture,and we were expecting some form of complication, the surgery will be scheduled for this Saturday, October 20 , 2012

We will post the updates daily on his progress, but he continues to improve daily and he is wanting to play more and more.”

“Many thanks to all who donated, you helped to give this dog back his good looks…It sickens me to think how anyone could hurt a cute face like. “

News Link:–https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151274611447594&set=a.10150115143062594.322117.100266097593&type=1&theater

Lonely Old Dog Has His Final Wish Fulfilled – Here Is His Story

“This is a beautiful example of how humans can give compassion & empathy to a dear old dog, who only wished one thing…to be loved & feel love…towards the end, his wishes came true!…God bless the guy’s who gave Ol Boy, the love he so wanted & deserved. Gone but never forgotten x R.I.P  Ol Boy….Get your Kleenex ready! 

We are posting this story in tribute to Ol Boy. His story shows us there are some truly great humans out there! We highly recommend grabbing a box of kleenex before hitting play. Thank you to Beth Zimmerman from Pets for Patriots for sharing this touching story with us.

 

Published on 23 Aug 2012 by PawshPal

http://www.saveourstreetdogs.com/2012/08/lonely-old-dog-has-his-dying-wish-co…

Assistance by http://pawshpal.com/

Ol boy was born on the streets. Like many street dogs, he had a number of health problems – ticks, wasting, infections and possible cancer.

When a rescue team took Ol Boy in for treatment, they found him laying in his own filth and unable to move. His weakness, however, wasn’t an accident.

Even after treatment, Ol Boy was in a lot of discomfort and had little time left. He did, however, want to die naturally and feel the love and warmth of a home for the first time. So the rescue team granted his wish and let Ol Boy experience something he never had before – love.

Members of the team stuck by his side, giving Ol Boy the care and companionship he had longed for. He had to be given water, as he was too weak to get himself up to drink. The team stood vigil for him, along with some of the other dogs in the home.

R.I.P old boy – You may have gone, but your will never be forgotten!

By 2am, Ol Boy sat up and had a drink of water for the final time. He finally passed away peacefully at 4am.

Before he died, Ol Boy had shown a beach to his communicator. Upon his passing, the team Ol Boy worked to fulfill his final wish. Ol Boy was cremated and spread his ashes along the beach – where he could finally run free.

A big thank you to the rescue team who allowed Ol Boy the chance to experience the love and understanding that all dogs deserve, even strays.

New Link:-http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2012/08/lonely-old-dog-has-his-final-wish-fulfilled/

 

Before You Go To Heaven…

“This is one of the most touching, inspirational & heartfelt story’s, I have read on face book, in a long time, which is why I wanted to share it!”

Pet Pardons

Before You Go To Heaven By Ashley Owen Hill

Annie had never known happiness. She had been beaten, starved, and neglected all of her life, and then she was dumped in a shelter to die.

Annie waited on death row, terrified and lonely… crying every night for someone to help her. She was very ill, so the pound asked if I was willing to take her. Yep, I’m on my way.

When I saw Annie, it was obvious that she was very sick. She was underweight, coughing, and having trouble breathing, in addition to severe skin and eye issues. The vet told me that Annie had advanced heartworm disease, congestive heart failure, and several other life-threatening conditions.

It was highly unlikely that she would pull through any of the treatments, and she would suffer tremendously throughout the process. The vet asked me if I wanted to go ahead with euthanasia. I replied: “Not yet. I’ll bring her back next week. Annie needs to know love… before she goes to Heaven.”

That day, I brought Annie home with me. I looked at her… so broken, so sickly, so unsure of whether she could trust… and I cried. I sobbed uncontrollably for Annie. Over the sad life she had led, the abuse she had endured, and now the life she would never have… thanks to the worthless people who never cared for her. And while I was bawling like a baby, Annie walked over and licked my tears, as if to say: “Don’t be sad. It’ll be okay.” I was speechless.

This precious, wounded soul was comforting me. This girl, who had never known compassion in her life, was consoling me. And so, I got up, stopped my crying, and vowed to give her the best week of her entire life. No more crying. Not around Annie. She deserves to know only happiness now.

That week, Annie slept in the bed with me. She ate the best food. She played as much as her little heart could stand. She laid next to me on the couch for belly rubs. She laughed at funny movies with me. That week, Annie was special. That week, Annie was home… for the first time in her life.

Every day, Annie and I sat on my special bench by Rudy’s grave and talked to him. I told Rudy that he would have a new friend in Heaven soon, and I asked him to take care of her. I told Rudy all about Annie, and Annie all about Rudy. Annie loved our talks with Rudy. She loved anything that involved love… she’d never had it before.

When Annie got so weak that it was painful for her to live, I took her to the vet to end her suffering. I stayed with her, I comforted her… and Annie wasn’t afraid. She was happy, because I was there with her. Her mom was by her side… the only family she had ever known. The only person who had ever truly loved her. She was finally safe.

Annie knew it was time… it hurt too much to go on. And I was there to hold her, to love her, to say, “It’s okay. You can go now, baby girl.” And as they stuck her with the needle… I whispered into her ear… “Know that I loved you. Know that you mattered. Know that you finally belonged to someone—you were everything to me. You will never really be gone, because you’ll live forever in my heart. Thank you for sharing your last days with me. It was truly an honor to love you.”

As the drugs entered Annie’s veins, she looked up at me one last time, and her eyes said… “Thank you for saving me. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for showing me what life could be like… and for giving me a family. I always wanted one. I love you.” And just before she closed her eyes forever, I said: “When you get to Heaven, ask for Rudy. Tell him I sent you.”

And then… she was gone. I buried Annie in my backyard next to Rudy. She died on September 14, 2010. But the week before her death… she finally lived.

Ashley Owen Hill

Ashley is the Founder of Lucky Dog Rescue Blog

If you would like to donate to her amazing rescue please go to: http://luckydogrescueblog.blogspot.com/p/donate.html

Please also VOTE for her in the Chase Community Giving Contest at:http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charity/view/ein/27-4746838?ref=c1f0873e9c

Face Book Link:–https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=419749614739443&set=a.163747983672942.36367.149478678433206&type=1