As VP/COO of BDHPI I've sadly said goodbye to many dogs that I've loved over the years, but nothing could have prepared me the loss of my own rescue boy. Two weeks ago, Brian and I said goodbye to our best buddy, Zachey Poo Dew.
Zach came to me in 2006 as a foster, and was only here 3 days before I knew he was here to stay.Zach was mature, calm, kind, sweet and so lazy. What I didn't know was that Zach was pretty sick, and after an initial 2 week battle with a bad case of kennel cough, I realize I had adopted a young, crazy, jumping, bucking bronco Great Dane. My first clue was when I came home to find he had eaten every candle, cookbook and pillow he could find. He even pulled all the blankets and sheets off my bed to make his own in the family room
The next morning, began my new life with my young boy. I had to get up 20 minutes early to wrestle him down the hallway into a crate. To date, in over 175 dogs through my doors, he was the WORST to teach how to walk on a Gentle Leader. He was also the worst jumper- I cannot tell how you many times that first summer he would jump on my back, dragging those talon nails down my back taking my skirt with it! Thank goodness for 6 ft privacy fences!
After 6 months of hard work and patience, Zach turned a corner and became the absolute best dog ever. He attended countless rescue events, was a wonderful foster brother and his love encouraged me to seek higher positions within the rescue to help others find their perfect match.
Zach saw me through a lot as a single girl...he helped mend a few broken hearts, he helped build my home, the loss of a job ,the diagnosis of a sick parent....he was also there to be part of the new family that was created when I met Brian. It took him a month or so to welcome Brian into our home, but in the last years he often chose Brian's chest over mine to lay on when it came time to snuggle. Zachey taught Brian about the love of a rescue dog and is the sole reason Brian accepts my dedication to rescue.
As time went on Zachey developed many medical issues and Brian and I did everything we could to keep him comfortable over the last two years. We were devastated when Dr Rob discovered he had Osteosarcoma. Brian and I made the heartwrenching decisions to say goodbye.
8 days after we lost Zach, we lost my Dad to a fast 8 week battle with Cancer. My young nephews have been struggling to make sense of the loss of my Dad and my 7 yr old nephew Cooper came to me and told me that he thought God needed Zachey so Grandpa would know someone when he got to Heaven. I think he was right!
Zachey was very loved by many BDHPI Volunteers and I know he loved you all so much- especially Auntie Lindsay and Aunt Suz! Brian and I also cannot thank Dr Rob Landry enough for his support of the years. He was on the receiving ends of panic filled calls and always, and I mean always, made time for us! Also to Dr Winton, our very own BDHPI CMO, who cared for him with such love during his latest medical scare in April.
Zach was one in a million and taught me more about rescue than could ever be learned from any human. We will miss Z.P.D the rest of our lives.
Bree, VP/COO BDHPI
No comments:
Post a Comment