Sweet Bianca, a Great Pyrenees, passed away today after battling with repeated seizures.  Bianca was one of my rescues that was placed with a family in Tennessee.  Bloodwork and tests showed no abnormalities, but of course there are illnesses that don’t scream their identity.  Sadly, it hit her hard and the seizures were repetitive, taking away the use of her back legs and causing her to require sedation. I suppose, emotionally, I need to write about it because the family involved me…so in essence, I was affected directly.

Bianca came to me from one of, if not, the worst pounds in the area.  She was heartworm positive, exceptionally thin, and had an “eye tag.”  We treated her for the heartworms, removed the “tag,” treated her for a tickborne disease, did surgery for her bilateral ear hematomas and fattened her up (for that part we did really good!).  She turned into a show stopping Great Pyrenees, displaying all the wonderful traits of the breed, including affection, emotional eyes, kindness and devotion.  She was royalty.  If she’d of done better with other animals, I’d of never been able to let her go, and I’d of adopted her for myself.  My favorite thing about Bianca was her smile.  She’d curl up both sides of her lips, like a snarl, and shine those pretty teeth in your face, wagging her entire body! It always made you smile in reponse…it was impossible not to do so.

A part of me wishes I could have been there with her…the other part knows that two deaths in four days takes it’s toll, and it’s a bit of a selfish relief that I didn’t have to see her in that state.

Bianca is now with Dudley, Wilma, Belle, Fred, Tatonka, Sheiba, Hannah, Brewster, Bogey, Patton, and Humphrey, playing and catching up on old times.

This brings me to Humphrey, another Great Pyrenees/Golden Retriever that blessed our rescue.  Humphrey passed away last year, but in my constant shuffle I didn’t give him the credit on my blog that he most definitely deserved.  Humphrey was another boy that was unlike the rest, and he deserves to be recognized.  I apologize to you, Humphrey, for taking so long.

Humphrey Bonegart…It was his “full” name, for I felt he deserved the esteem. 🙂  He was 100lbs of bright sunshine, amazing happiness during even the worst of times, and every dog that came into rescue adored him.  I was always amazed that people were afraid of him because he constantly smiled and was incredibly gentle…however his dark red coat (from the golden breed) and size made him intimidating to some.  He was my welcome committee for new animals, and he always told the gang that “differences can be worked out if we just sit down and talk about it.”  Believe me, Humphrey loved to talk…he’d talk to you all day long!  You could carry on a conversation with him for hours.  In his forever home, they’d talk to him on the phone and have a grand discussion.  A talk with Humphrey was always a tremendous delight!

Humphrey’s favorite thing was a “front rollover and fall into the back dance,” and he’d dance and sing to his heart’s content.  He kissed everyone, always showed them kindness, told them how his day went and asked about theirs.  He tolerated anything and everything, and he never complained about vet work and those blasted needles they use, dogs stepping on him, the fact that he couldn’t fit on the bed or that someone took a toy from him.  Even better, for dogs in isolation and just arriving to the house and in rescue, he’d sit by them so they’d not feel alone.  For the humans, those who took the time to say hello to him fell in love within a second flat.  He was irresistible!

Humphrey, unfortunately, had hemangiosarcoma, the worst of the cancers.  His family made every attempt to save him, including remove the cancer, but unfortunately it was too hard on his compromised system.  Thankfully it was quick, and he loved life wholeheartedly up to that point.

These animals graced my home and our rescue, bringing so much pleasure to our days.  It’s times like these that really make me stop and think about how far them came and how far it brought me.  Each animal teaches me something, be it a new idiosyncracy about a particular breed, or that chicken flavored Nylabones are better than the original flavor.  Sometimes they even teach me to slow down or to not get frustrated about something that can be replaced.  It’s always growth when they become a part of my life, and they are amazing teachers.

So, these darlings deserved to be recognized, and I love to stop and just think about them for a moment.  I wish it wasn’t in this context, but at least my memories are fond ones. Enjoy the lush, green grass sweeties…tell Dudley and the gang hello for me.  I love you all.

Bianca

Humphrey