Labor Day September 3, 2001
"Amazing Grace"
(Turn up your speakers!)
We got word of this poor creature, who was
dying in a California shelter, over the Labor
Day Weekend. This is how we learned of "Amazing
Grace"...
<Date: 9/2/2001 4:51:33 PM Central Daylight
Time
From: Barbsand@aol.com
To: Pup3@aol.com
K Carol, here is the little girl
who we have
a rescue hold on -- the one you
sent a picture
of to check out -- she looks
a little different
from the picture you sent 'cause
I think
they trimmed the hair around
her face --
her No. is: A0924287 (listed
as 6 year old
female) -- may change that 'cause
I don't
feel that anyone is going to
take this little
girl and we need to get her out
of there
quick (she's been in the observation
area)
-- can't get her until the 4th.
She isn't in good shape. I called
Sandy in
a panic 'cause when I first saw
her she could
barely lift her head and wouldn't
move her
back legs -- they looked broken.
What I come
to find out is that she has a
very bad "skin
condition". It has affected
all of her
body but mostly her back legs
and tail (which
looks like it has been broken).
She is very
skinny and weak. And her skin
is BLACK from
dirt and probably fleas. When
the officer
opened the gate for me, she hobbled
over
to me and let me hold her --
she just settled
right into my arms. After I put
her down
she kept trying to raise up to
me but was
a little weak. She is gentle
as a little
lamb. Her eyes do look a bit
cloudy but not
too bad. Bichon eyes (brown with
beautiful
halos) and tail and a Bichon
nose ;)
Here are her pictures... (sorry
they're a
little dark)
(By the way -- I've called her
"Grace")>
Thank God, we were able to convince a Police Officer to let us go into the shelter
when they were closed, and get this poor
dog out of there. The word "DEAD"
was written on a card on her cage, and no
I am not kidding.
I just got this from Sandy Sowell....I think
we got to Grace in time...I am thanking God
for His Amazing Grace.:)) I just know that
Grace is going to bless someone's heart..in
a mighty, mighty way.:)
<Subj: Re: Grace Update!
Date: 9/3/2001 4:19:15 PM Central
Daylight
Time
From: LitlSybil
To: Pup3
CC: Barbsand, CPTHEO4
Double-click picture(s) to display
in picture
editor
Things are definitely looking
up! Met Sherri
outside the shelter and drove
directly to
the vet. We've just come back
from there
and the dear woman charged me
for the meds
but not a dime for her exam.
She checked
her out, gave her shots, medication
for eye
infections and a female tract
infection,
but says while she's badly dehydrated
(probably
what's causing her to be so weak),
is extremely
filthy and is loaded with fleas
that are
sapping her strength. In a few
days with
care, Grace is probably going
to be all right.
The female tract infection is
of some concern
but we'll know soon if it's more
than that.
Absolutely no way to spay her
until she's
stronger but says she's a very
nice little
girl (11 lbs. about 6 years old)
and is most
likely a bichy-poo with a very
sweet disposition.
I've just given her a half can
of I/D which
she gobbled up, will let her
rest, and then
she's going to be soaked in conditioner,
then a warm bath until I can
hopefully save
her fur. I don't think there's
a chance of
saving anything on her legs,
it's a black
tangled mess, but I'm sure I
can save her
head, her body, whatever I can.
I'll give
her water by syringe until she
thinks she's
floating, and I'll bet by the
end of the
day she's going to be a different
dog with
a whole new life ahead of her.
Another day in the shelter and
I doubt we'd
have a little fluff to talk about.
Love,
S>
Updates to follow.
9/4/01 UPDATE
Dear All,
Grace had a good night. When
it was time
for bed Jim put her right in
the middle of
one of those huge doggie pillows
and she
sank down with a visible sigh
of happiness.
God love her, she is already
blossoming.
Melts into your arms when you
hold her, staggers
around when she tries to walk
but wants to
be with you so bad she just has
to do it.
It took a good 15 minutes of
solid rinsing
before the water stopped being
dark gray,
then brown and finally clear.
Fleas, ticks,
BUBBLE GUM, you name it, it was
in her fur
and stuck to her skin. She's
still not as
clean as I want her to be but
she's so much
more comfortable now. She was
starving but
the good news is she's VERY WILLING
to eat
so she sure came to the right
place. I'll
get as much into her as she can
handle!
Has a nasty infection in her
reproductive
parts, eye infection, and now
kennel cough
but she's on meds and will be
back at the
vet's in a heartbeat if she slides
backwards.
With all the prayers and good
thoughts that
are out there for our "Grace",
she really is being cared for
by angels.
With love, Sandy
Update Sept 12.
Subj: Grace Update with Pic
Date: 9/12/2001 12:37:02 PM Central
Daylight
Time
From: LitlSybil
To: Pup3
In light of all the misery that's
taken place
in our country I hope no one
will feel upset
that I send along an update on
Grace. I view
what's happening with Grace,
and also Faith,
as one of the things that makes
this country
the great nation it is. We draw
a line at
disgusting acts of inhumanity
and won't back
away. Yes, Grace and Faith are
animals but
they're lives, innocent lives.
God put them
here for a purpose and we have
to do what
we can. If I could be in New
York I'd want
to rip apart that building to
get to the
people. So I'll do what I can
and hope I'm
not offending anyone.
Grace is looking a whole lot
better these
days. She's clean though shaved
down, there
was no choice. Still has some
places that
need trimming but even she has
limits to
her endurance. At first I didn't
think or
care if she was housebroken but
now that
she's recovering she's choosing
to go outdoors
to potty. I'm never confident
to say it's
a permanent thing but so far,
so good. Her
coat's pretty thin, except for
her Bichon
tail (without much fur at the
moment), she
looks more like a poodle but
is Bichon in
disposition, very friendly but
doesn't have
that bit of haughtiness you'll
sometimes
find in poodles. She wants to
be with people
and is interested in everybody
and everything.
At the vet's she thought the
Amazon Gray
parrot was wonderful, much to
the distress
of the parrot, lots of activity,
it was grand.
I was so happy to see her care,
I'd have
paid money to see the show! She
does have
some cataract activity but it
doesn't seem
to be affecting her sight yet.
Her female
infection seems to be fading
rapidly now
that she's getting antibiotic
and isn't starving
to death. She's eating very well,
weighs
about 11 lbs., not at all fussy,
and loves
her big pillow. For her to still
think someone's
arms are a good place to be,
I'd say she
really deserves her name. I'm
putting a picture
here so you can see her. Sincerely,
Sandy
September 30, 2001
Grace is going home today!
To all the people who met me when they said
I was "Dead" at the shelter on
Labor Day, I would like to announce that
today I'm well enough to go from my foster
mom's to a new home in San Diego. I don't
know if the lady will keep me forever but
she's thinking she'll foster me and maybe
keep me forever if I'm a good girl. Well,
my mom says I'm the best and even though
I have some troubles with my little body,
I can come right back home if everybody isn't
happy, including me. She says it's a really
happy thing but her eyes are leaking so I
don't know what's up but I hope she doesn't
say there's something sad to look forward
to or my fur's gonna be drenched. All your
prayers got me to look like this so please
keep me in your prayers and wish me a very
happy life. Love, Grace
