Loved a Senior Dog By Denise Fleck, The Pet Safety Crusader™ when she was filled with joy. She loved car rides and golf cart rides in the “Kiko Cart” and gave the best “woos” and kisses. Kiko was the Grand Marshall in a parade riding in a Corvette convertible, filmed a TV Show pilot, was a calendar girl and appeared in magazines and books. Kiko attended a pet sitter’s conference by my side after making the 1,400 mile road trip to Cleveland and back, but mostly, Kiko loved laying in our dining room window, chin on the sill, watching the world. Never enough time, I cried my heart out when she passed away at age 13, but I know we gave her a great three years and the love she gave us was immeasurable.
Kiko had been gone two months, and we had not planned to adopt again for at least a couple more, but a senior Akita made her presence known to us: Wish, so named because when she was picked up on the streets of Memphis, she was in such ill health that the rescue “wished” she would make it.
Thankfully, Big East Akita Rescue (B.E.A.R) bailed Wish out of the shelter, and and JoAnn Dimon and her village that nursed her back to wellness. I am so grateful to B.E.A.R. and all who transported her from Memphis to New Jersey and to her numerous vet appointments, loved her, brushed her, fed her and just told her she was a beautiful girl. Once we learned about Wish, my husband and I were eager to adopt her and drove 1,600 miles to the Jersey Shore and back. As I said before, there are no guarantees,but we plan to make sure Wishy’s everyday is a new adventure. She has already walked the streets of Colonial Williamsburg, and is carrying on the tradition of riding in the Kiko Cart! Wishy is gaining confidence, developing a routine and watching her blossom, like you would watch a child or puppy grow and discover new things, is joy! Knowing Wishy feels safe, happy and loved is so heartwarming that I cannot imagine adopting a dog who isn’t grey muzzled. There’s no way to know how long we’ll be lucky enough to share our lives with Wishy, but she has gotten forever into my heart. In the wise words of Winnie the Pooh, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” Adopt a senior dog, it won’t be just one of the most memorable times of your life, earning an old dog’s love is a gift! •
Again, a ten-year old was destined to become our girl! This lovebug had suffered more than any other dog we had every adopted: bloat leading to a gastropexy (learn more on page 104 in this publication), heartworms, pneumonia, a terrible flea infestation leading to dermatitis and great fur loss, malnourished and about 20 lbs. underweight, yet she still had kisses for everyone she met.
Learn more at www.PetSafetyCrusader.com.
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