The way I deal with loss and pain is to accept it, respect it, and then move forward.
Dogs are joy to me, never a misery, in life or death. I have this idea for honoring Evie, who died last night in Arkansas from respiratory failure from pneumonia.
Today, I thought it would be a valuable thing to try to adopt two other dogs in honor of Evie, and of the lost dogs that fall behind or are forgotten.
Chewbacca , a Yorkshire Terrier Mix, is described by everyone who knows him as a “very sweet boy who loves adventure and playing with other dogs.” He is a great citizen of the home, he loves walks and running around the yard. He is not a lap dog, a least not yet.
He’s what I call a “bright eyes dog.” He has fun in his eyes, the kind of dog that makes one smile.
He is ten years old and had surgery to remove his bladder stones. He is otherwise healthy, and because of his age, he is inexpensive. The adoption donation is $199 and FOHA will help with transportation costs.
So will I and the Army Of Good if the adopter is far away. Chewbacca is in Rhode Island, you can check him out here. If you need to communicate with a human, you can e-mail our friend Carol Johnson she’s [email protected].
The Friends of Homeless Animals/RI website is http://www.FohaRI.org.
Chewbacca needs a good and loving home, sweet is the word that seems to best describe him.
The other dog I think stands out and might have appeal for people who were interested in Evie – a half dozen wanted her – is Charles, a mixed breed to believed to mostly be Japanese Chin, a breed I’ve never heard before.
He is younger, five, and the adoption donation for him is $599 as he is currently undergoing heartworm treatment.
Charles won’t be available for a couple of months until the vet clears him. Carol Johnson, who is fostering him in Arkansas, says he is very shy and she doesn’t think he ought to be with children, but she say she is a sweet and loving dog, he just needs to feel safe and loved.
He sounds interesting to me. Beyond the heartworm, he is in good health,but if you’re interested you can e-mail Carol at [email protected]. She is honest and practical.
I caution people not to adopt a dog for emotional reasons, it is a practical decision as well as a moral or emotional one. These are both unusual dogs, I have this feeling they would belong to some of the same people who were interested in Evie, both have far fewer health problems than she did.
Chin seems like an exotic dog who needs a quiet and stable place to live. Unusual, I’ve never seen one.
So this is my idea of honoring Evie, try to adopt a couple of dogs who need homes. It is awful to lose a dog, but the most wonderful thing about dogs is when you lose them, you can go and get another one, and all of the pain and grief melts away.
Check out Charles here.
People who love dogs should have one.
There are cruel people in the world, but there are also good people, many of them are reading this right now.
FOHA will pay the transportation costs for anyone who lives in the Northeast, me and the Army of Good will try and help people who live farther away. Thinking of you today Evie, there are too many people who mistreat dogs, but many more people who love them dearly.
Maybe some of those will adopt one of these dogs, and give some meaning to her life and death.
Note: Dr. Jonathan Bradshaw, who was up very late last night working with Evie, have, at their own expense, arranged to have Evie cremated and her ashes put into a special casket. He and his staff said she was one of the very sweetest dogs they have known. I’m not sure yet where the casket will go, I hope it goes to Carol Johnson, who worked so hard to give Evie some good love and good days.
Audio: Honoring Evie