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Brandi's Story
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The majority of the following story is a work of my imagination. However, the circumstances are NOT. There are too many dogs and cats that suffer these things and more. Brandi was rescued from an animal shelter, but I have no way to know why she was really there. Does it matter? She was. That is all I needed to know.
Fact: Every 4.5 seconds a dog or cat is "put to sleep" in a shelter somewhere in the United States.
Hi! My name is Brandi and I have come to live with my new person, Dan, my new sister Misty, and my new brother Gruff! I am very exited to be here. Let me tell you why...
I was born one of a litter of a "bunch" (I can't count so I am unable to tell you exactly how many a "bunch" is, but I know there were a bunch because we were all always struggling to get to our mom so we could get what little milk she had to give.) My mom was skinny and not very healthy. The person who owned her would not feed her even though they knew she had to feed us!
Not long after I was born two of my brothers and sisters died from the cold and not enough food. We lived outside in a pen with a dirt (mostly mud) floor and there were no walls to keep out the cold wind, or the snow, or the rain. Mom was getting weaker all the time too.
After a few days more with very little food, and almost no water some more of my siblings died in the cold night. They cuddled together for warmth and I cuddled with them trying to give them the heat they so desperately needed, but it did no good. Sometime during the cold, black night the Angel of Mercy came and took them to the Rainbow Bridge. (What will happen to them there though? They never had a person to care about them. What will they do?)
Just a few days later my mom died also. I was left without anyone. I had no food, no water, and no one to help keep me warm. It was then that a lady came and bundled me up and took me to a "shelter" for abandoned and abused pets. It was wonderful at first! There was food, water, warmth, and other puppies just like me to play with. But, all good things must come to an end in an abused puppies life it seems.
Some people came and "adopted" me after a short time. They took me home and fed me and left me to my own devices. I remember this wonderful rug that they had in the dining room! What fun I had with that. I did not know I wasn't to play with it and chew on it! No one ever told me anything! Then there was the matter of the stereo, but I won't go into details there; or about the wall paper I tore off the spare bedroom. After that one I started getting beatings everytime I done anything wrong, or when I got in the way, or when I got exited and barked at the neighbors cat, or for almost anything.
The lady started to get fat after I had been with them for a time. That was when I began to hear them shouting at one another. The more they shouted the less attention they paid to me except when I done something wrong. Then one night the lady went away. She was gone for awhile and when she came back she had a little person with her! It was pink and smelled SO good, and it made these funny little sounds! I couldn't help but look at it in fasination! I guess I must have done something wrong though because that was when I was put in the garage.
Early the next day the man came and got me. He said we were going for a ride (I didn't know what a "ride" was, but he wanted me to go so I went willingly.) He put me in the car and we travelled a little way and then he stopped and put a leash on me and took me out of the car and into a building. I knew where we were with one sniff. I could never forget the smell of the shelter; fear, and urine, and feces, and overlaying it all was a sense of hopelessness.
The man never said one word to me; he just turned around and walked out. The woman who took me to my pen seemed like a nice person, but she had SO much work to do that she had no time to spend with me. And this time was not like when I was a puppy. Now I was alone in a pen. There was no one to cuddle up to, no one to comfort me or to help me overcome my fright.
But, the very next day I saw Him! I didn't know it then but this was going to be my new person! He came in and when he saw me he turned around and staight back through the doors he went. I thought I must have done something wrong again, but a few minutes later he was back with one of the workers. The worker said something about "...not being ready yet..." Then he walked over and reached into the pen where I was. I couldn't believe it. He was trusting me not to bite him. I had to walk over and lick his hand; just so I could remember him.
He didn't stay long that time, but he was back the next day, and he brought something with him. He poked one through the wire of the pen and I sniffed it. Hmmm...that smelled good! He encouraged me to take one with a soft voice. So, I took it and instinctively I started to chew it. Luckily I caught myself in time before it was all gone. I knew I was going to get beat for what I had done, but no, he looked at me with love in his eyes and encouraged me to finish it!!! JOY! I gobbled it down and he handed me another one! This had a different flavor, but was shaped like the first one; it looked like a miniature bone! He stayed and scratched me under the chin then for awhile and gave me some more of those wonderful bone things. then he left. Again I was left in this place alone.
Brandi did not know, but I was determined to get her out of that shelter as soon as I could. The shelter opened at 8:00 A.M. and I was sitting outside waiting ten minutes before that. And while most of the above is a fictional story it remains that this wondeerful, shy girl was in the shelter for some reason beyond her control. She is a very sweet girl. She acts like she is afraid to do anything...she is afraid of going back to the shelter. She does not yet realize she has a Forever Home here with me, Misty, and Gruff! She has improved somewhat though...she is beginning to play with the other dogs now! Before long I hope the shelter is nothing more than a faint stirring of a shadow of a dream.
UPDATE!
Brandi has now been living with me for about a year and a half. In that time she has gained thirty (30) pounds and is now a whopping 105 lbs!!! She is still the sweetest, gentlest, and meekest dog I have ever met. She LOVES to ride now that she understands I am not going to leave her! She tries to sit up, but she can't get her front feet more than a couple of inches off of the floor! She says, "Woof!" (er...Hi!) to everyone!
UPDATE!
After living with me for six and a half years (and going to a whopping 129 lbs!) Brandi has been diagnosed with congenital heart disease and is dying. The vet says she isn't in any pain, so I have her here at home with me. After being deserted by her former "people" and tossed into the pound I won't let her die in a strange place. I am keeping an eye on her so that if she shows any sign of pain I will be here for her. I have been told she may live several weeks as she is, or she could go any time. I just hope and pray she goes in her sleep and that it will be as easy as possible for her. She has been a good dog all the time I have known her. My little brownish red dog Gruff has gone ahead to the Rainbow Bridge (17 Nov 2005) to wait for her so she won't be lonely until Misty and I can join her. Brandi B. Bear (B. stands for big-un don't you know!) I'll never forget you!
Last Update For Brandi
Brandi was not so fortunate as to be able to pass quietly in her sleep. On 13 Aug 2007 I had to put her down. I felt it was time. She was quietly suffering and I could not let that continue. She did die at home however. She trusted in me to make it right for her, and it was the last thing I could do for her. Brandi B. Bear, I love you hun, and you will be missed. Greatly.
