RIP Ginny

BDHPI lost one of our favorites this week. Here is a note from Kirstin, a BDHPI Volunteer and Ginny's Mom. Get out the tissues!

Today the world lost a beautiful soul. Ginny died suddenly from heart failure this morning. She was rushed to the emergency vet where they were able to restart her heart but it was too weak to keep going. The vet assured me that she felt no pain and had no signs of illness. There was nothing anyone could have done to save her.

Ginny was my second foster ever, but she was always mine. She came into my life two years ago, abused and neglected, afraid of everything. She hid in my bathroom for months, submissively peeing even just when spoken to. She was terrified of people, I didn't blame her. She spent the first three years of her life in a puppy mill, mass producing puppies in a cage with no real human interaction, no love, no knowledge that there was a life outside of this. Slowly she would inch out of the bathroom, further and further down the hall and into the house as she gained trust.

The first sign of her breaking out of her shell was when I fostered Lexi, a Great Dane who soon had ten puppies after coming to live with me. They became pals and shared responsibilities in raising the puppies. Ginny would get in the pen and help clean the pups while Lexi took a break, my dynamic mama dog duo.

Watching her gain confidence and learning how to be a real dog really struck a chord with me. She inspired me to change my life. She made me want to be an advocate, dedicating myself to spending the rest of my days helping animals. I left everything I knew and moved to Colorado to attend vet tech. school so I could fulfill that need, and help others like her. It was the most difficult thing I have done thus far in my life, but at least I had her by my side on this journey. I have never felt love for an animal as I do for her. She was the most loyal companion I have ever had. Even off leash at the dog park, she was rarely more than a few steps behind me. She made me smile even on the lousiest of days, greeting me always with her kind eyes, wagging tail and the softest ears you could imagine.

She died as she lived, by my side, on her bed next to mine. I only wish we could have taken one more walk or trip to the dog park or even just snuggled one more time on the couch. Though she may not have had the strongest heart, it was the certainly the biggest and now there is a hole in mine. Even though I couldn't save her today, we spent the past two years saving each other and I have plenty of wonderful pictures and memories to remind me of that. I can't help but think that she was taken from me too soon, I suppose someone else must need her more than I do, I just hope they know how wonderful she is and that she likes to be scratched right above her tail.

I will keep her with me always, my loyal baby girl who changed my life and gave me a purpose.

I love you Ginny Boo,
Kirsten Butler