Bata came to me in a time in my life that I needed him the most. A more loving dog you will not find anywhere. I had had a nervous breakdown nine years earlier and another black and white animal, a cat named Tem had been there for me then. A year later Tem was killed by a dog that I, myself owned. A dog that was abandoned in my front yard. A dog that someone threw away like a piece of garbage. A dog that someone else was responsible for. That dog, someone's else's dog, that I took in, killed my cat Tem.

The day that it happened, I decided that my compassion had killed Tem. If I had not taken that dog in, Tem would still be alive. I lost every bit of compassion that I had for anyone or anything else. For eight years I cared for nothing like I cared for Tem. And then, Bata came along. Bata was amazing. He seemed to know just what to do to make me laugh. What to do to give me my compassion back. I know I am not explaining it well, but I don't know any other way to say it. He gave me something back that I had lost.

I had my precious Bata only 18 months. In August of 1997 he managed to get under the fence and ran in front of the mail truck and died.

I truly believe that Bata was sent to me "on loan". I do not believe in god, but do believe that there is a higher intelligent life form somewhere. And, they do not send us guardian angles to look after us but, feel sorry for us from time to time and send us someone or something to intervene.

So, this page is dedicated to my Bata.