success-stories5

Gina's Jimmy

I went to your website by chance...and I loved the stories there. My blind dog, Jimbuck(a Pomeranian) went to the bridge in August 1989. He was 16 years old. The vet said that he has outlived his dog years and it is not cruel to let him go.

You see, he turn blind at the age of 11 years old due to CATARACTS. He was also toothless and had kidney failure. But we never love him less, in fact, if not more. The thought of putting him down was never in our hearts and minds. We will keep him till God takes him away.

Jimmy as we often called him, was a ex-stud dog and a Champion during his younger days. Once he reached 6 years old, his ex-owner put him up for sale treating him like old junk furniture. We bought him from the breeder because my mom would not allow me to get a puppy back then when I was still a teenager.

When Jimmy became blind, he learnt his way around the house by scent and his paw steps..he knows his footage around the house and never knocks into or over anything. However, we moved house...and he knows the new house is different..he tried and run away from home. But was returned so after 1 day as the people who took him found out about his blindness thru our lost ads.

His life was cut short at 16 years old because he fell into a ditch some road workers were digging outside our house. He didn't sense it there. He broke his spine and was paralyzed from his hind legs to his tail. The vet said that even if he was operated on, he may not live as he also had a weak murmur. Despite of all his illness, we managed to keep him safe for many years until the accident took his life. The vet said that he was in deep pain as the back bone has broken into many parts.

I will always remember Jimmy. Our entire family household mourn for him for several days. Even our Collie, Ladd and our ginger cat, Cupcake was mourning nightly for Jimmy. Cupcake was a stray kitten whom Jimmy took her home. He adored her and would pretend to be mummy to her. Cupcake mistook that and tried to suckle from him... Ladd was also a Stud dog...due to age, he was unable to sire anymore puppies. So his owner dump him at SPCA. We pitied him and we took him home. Ladd was very very sad dog. He must have loved his family alot...he always tried to run away from our house to go home. It was Jimmy who brought him around and 'told' him that our family will love him forever. So when Jimmy died, Ladd was howling again. 10 months later, Ladd went to the Bridge too.
God bless your work

Gina from Singapore

Julie's Casey

My baby was born in an outside kennel to a 1 year old bitch. The owner didn't know that his two dogs got together but guess what. Well we wanted a collie more than anything. My husband was raised around collies and wanted only a collie for our 5 children.. we looked on the internet and got the name of the owner and when we called he said that my baby was either blind or stupid..well when I saw him I picked him up and laid him on his back, he laid there and cuddled into my arms.. I told my husband "got my baby let's go" we drove home, over an hour, and the whole time he cuddled in my jacket. Well that was almost a year ago..now my perfect blind baby is a VERY healthy one year old..in November..we named him Casey..that was going to be our LAST childs name if he had been a girl..but he was a he..lol..so our Casey is now our last baby..

He is spoiled rotten just like our children..he was house trained in 3 days..yes 3 days..and he wakes us up at night to let him out.. During the day he barks and plays as a usual puppy does. At night he refuses to bark to wake us. He simply gives either one of us a wet nose kiss or two, and if that does not get us he then shakes his head repeatedly,very fast, to make a flapping noise with his little ears. Not very loud but just loud enough to let us know he has waited as long as he can. A little guy with compassion.
He knows the house and yard and the sound of his best friend Lucky..a golden lab...from a few doors down..he is a VERY smart dog..please if you can get a blind collie..you will never regret it.
Julie lildewey@hotmail.com

Update coming soon - Helen has been adopted! 3/3/2002

Helen-Blind English Springer Spaniel
Birmingham, Alabama

Helen is approx. 4 y/o, purebred liver & white English Springer Spaniel. She was born blind due to underdeveloped eyes, and therefore is very well adapted to being blind. In spite of this, she is obedience trained (knows some eight or ten commands), housebroken and well mannered in the house. She can be left alone at home safely. Helen gets on very well with cats and birds, and most other dogs, although she has dominance issues with other females. She is nervous around small children and would be best in a house with grown-ups only.

Helen needs to be an inside dog, with a family that will allow her to jump on couches, sleep in the bed and be basically underfoot all day. Her need for exercise and activity is very reduced compared to a sighted Springer. Long car rides are a big plus for her. She is healthy, spayed, and up to date in shots, but needs lifelong heartworm preventive. Her eyes don't need special care.

Helen has been fostered for more than 2 years. She was picked up from a shelter pregnant and very sick. During this period, she was treated for serious heartworm infestation, flea allergies and had a large litter of puppies. Now, she is a healthy, happy dog, that is ready for a forever home of her own

Carmen Budrik
Eyabu@aol.com
Mastiff Club of America Rescue Volunteer
Handicapped dog rescue, independent
Brent, Alabama