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Like
the beagles that come into our lives, your pals at Big On Beagles like to stay
positive. We make a point of being as upbeat as a rescued beagle's tail. After all, laughter is contagious and we want
to always make you laugh or at least smile when you read our messages. But, I suppose, smiling and laughing wouldn't
feel nearly as wonderful if we didn't know what it felt like to be sad sometimes. That's life. We laugh and we cry. There
is beauty in both. I've
shared with you my personal loss of Elizabeth on July 8th, but there are three others to honour heart and soul that are
with my Elizabeth now. I'm dedicating the month of August to these three...
On May
24th, I got the email I knew would come eventually. It was from Becky's foster parents, Leanne & Guy, otherwise known
as the Pet Repair team. We couldn't fix Becky's worn out body as she went into kidney failure, but when our sweet girl
pawed her way into heaven, that heart of hers was as fit as a fiddle. That's because of her foster family. They filled her
heart with more love than I'm sure Becky ever thought possible. All my love goes out to you, Leanne and Guy. You really
did fix our Becky in the most important way and now she's sharing that happy heart making heaven even more heavenly.
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| St. Nicholas - July 12, 2011 |
On July 12th, I received an email from our friend
and Nicky's devoted perma-foster mom, Catherine. She wrote to say that Nicky is with the angels now. Do you know that one
dog in your life you'll always cherish most of all? That was Nicky to Catherine. Both our hearts are raw with sadness right
now, but I've asked her if she'd like to write a little something in his honour for our site when she's ready. In the
meantime, I just want to express how much Catherine means to me and to all the dogs she holds so dear to her heart. She
is a special and unique individual, running her own palliative care rescue for terminally ill dogs at her beautiful country
home. Somehow, she always finds space to include one of our beagles in need of such specialized care. Nicky was one of those
beagles yet Nicky soon became one in a million. There will never be another Nick. And there will never be another
Catherine. You are so special. All I can say is thank you again and again for giving Nick and all the others a little heaven
right here on earth.
A week after losing my Elizabeth, we said goodbye to our Clark. It was time. His little body
was worn out as he went into heart failure. But that doesn't make it any easier to let go. My deepest gratitude and love go
out to Beth, his devoted perma-foster mom. She is the reason Clark was our superman. Because of her, Clark
lived a beautiful life spending summers at the cottage where all the neighbours knew and loved him. He's gone from one heaven
to another because of you, Beth.
(Published in the August 2011 Issue of Beach Metro Community News)
This is the story of Elizabeth: The Girl with the Angelfish Tattoo. Only, it’s
not her whole story. I missed the beginning and the middle, and a good chunk of the end for that matter.
While some
folks wouldn’t see the point of tuning in so late, there are others like me who figure the story isn’t over until
the curtain falls. Until then, there are still scenes that just might take your breath away.
That was the
case with Elizabeth, but I never would have had the good fortune to follow her cute yet rickety tail-end if I hadn’t
been filled in on the last part I missed. It was a heart-wrenching scene in which Elizabeth’s owners surrendered her
to a shelter in Manhattan because they were moving. Elizabeth, or rather Sissy as she had been called, was sixteen at the
time and blind for gosh knows how long.
I’ll never understand the use of the term “surrender” for this kind
of thing. To me, “surrender” suggests giving up your most cherished possessions because somebody has a gun to
your head. But this wasn’t a gun-slingin’, shoot ‘em up, spaghetti western. If the story had stopped there,
it would have been labeled a tear-jerker. But it didn’t stop there and that’s how this story took its twist and
became a triumphant tale of the canine spirit. Our rising star just needed a little help getting out of the pickle she was
in first.
Elizabeth aka Pickles aka The Queen played out her inspirational
role to the end with me, her biggest fan honoured to sit front row center. Late to arrive or not, I was witness to the performance
of a lifetime.
Her character may have been subtle by nature but impossible to ignore, always in the background of my spotlight-stealing
beagles. She was the quiet beauty that set the stage and lit up the backdrop. Her most memorable scenes included sleeping
gloriously on the fluffiest of dog beds, eating earnestly (once I successfully chose food fit for a Queen), and exploring
her world stage which spanned the entire house and yard. In our house, the things that went bump in the night were almost
always associated with Elizabeth given the fact she used her hard little noggin’ as her cane. So, her walkabouts were
more aptly dubbed knockabouts and that was just fine by her and tolerated by us.
As for the angelfish tattoo, it was what set her apart
from the rest. She was born with it - a distinctive spot of white fur on her backside. I fancied it her royal beauty mark.
I’ve never seen one like it before and I doubt I’ll ever see one again.
Try as I might to stop the curtain
from falling, it fell as it always must. At the time of writing this article, it had been ten days since I last admired the
one and only fur-born angelfish tattoo in the world. At least, I got to admire it and the dog who wore it so well for almost
two years and that’s far better than never.
We tale-chasers know how to keep the best tales alive in our hearts even after the curtain
call. We may not always expect it to be as good as the original, but it never hurts to give a sequel a chance. Come to think
of it, there’s an adorably chubby eight-year-old beagle with health problems to overcome and a character to adore at
a shelter only a couple hours east of Toronto. His caregivers are calling him little Willie Nelson. I can see it now, the
title to Elizabeth’s sequel lighting up the screen (the one I always arrive at late) ---- “Willie Nelson: The
Boy with the Ragged Red Bandana.”
This article is dedicated to my eternal Elizabeth and to all the senior dogs out there worth
tuning in on despite missing their opening act. Whether the tail-end of their story lasts one year or ten, it doesn’t
matter. A great performance is a great performance and you never want to miss a great performance.
BEAGLE OF THE MONTH In Loving Memory of... Arthur Arthur joined the BOB
family back in January, 2007. He'd been banished to the confines of a cold garage in Batavia, New York when his owner's new
boyfriend came to live with them. The new boyfriend didn't like dogs and for some reason, his demands were met.
At least, his owner had enough sense to contact us for help in finding Arthur a new and loving home. We found that new and
loving home in the time it took for Arthur to wag a shy tail in their direction. Jenny and Mike had been the devoted parents
of our beloved BOB grad, Elwood, until his passing just a month or so before Arthur came into our lives. They didn't know
if their hearts were ready...until they met little Arthur. It was love at first sight. They helped each other heal. It is
with sadness that we now announce Arthur's passing on New Year's Day. We cannot thank Jenny and Mike enough for giving him
the life he so deserved and it is our honour to post their own special memorial to their little boy below... "On that snowy night
in January when Arthur was released from his prison, it was as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. This
was the best day of his and our lives! That night, Arthur couldn’t believe he was allowed to sleep on the bed with Mom
and Dad (as well as the couches & chairs)! Arthur, Mom and Dad treasured each
day more than can be imagined; Mom and Arthur had their special time together including the two times every work day Mom came
home to see & let Arthur out, as well as making Dad’s dinner in the evening together. Dad
and Arthur shared breakfast every day and always had lengthy conversations wherein Arthur listened intently. Every night and weekend was family time when we all loved being together. Of course, every day there
was at least one walk where, like any Beagle, Arthur’s nose went into high gear! We
loved Arthur and he us, more than words can explain, but there is one time that proved the incredible bond we shared better
than any other... On Arthur’s last day, we had a great morning together but
Mom and Dad had to go out of town for a New Year's Eve party. This is when he fell ill. His babysitter gave him
a pain pill which should have comforted him and made him drowsy enough to fall asleep, but he resisted the urge. Insteady,
he remained restless for 4 hours until we rushed back home to him. That's when he immediately climbed into one of
his beds where he curled up & fell asleep with Mom and Dad on the floor sleeping at his side. We
can honestly say Arthur was the best companion anyone could have had; he was loyal, affectionate, had a personality like no
other and will always be a beloved member of our family. We miss Arthur now and
forever, we appreciate and treasure the great time he shared with us. It was the best time of our lives and we know
it was his too!"
TRUMAN (IN MEMORIAL)
BRIAR - In Memorial
RUDY - (In Memorial)
HUCK - In Memorial
IN LOVING MEMORY OF WALTER
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IN LOVING MEMORY OF VADA
June 9, 2009
We lost our Vada to Cushing's Disease. In her sudden absence, we are sad. But we must remember one very important
thing. In the last 1 1/2 years, Vada was incredibly happy. We have her natural beagle disposition to thank for that. We have
her foster parents to thank for that. And we have YOU to thank for that.
I'll never forget scooping little
Vada up from the Niagara Falls Humane Society that wonderful day. Making her happy was all that mattered because happiness
is not measured in hours but in moments that can last forever in our memories. I'll remember you, Vada. How could I ever forget?
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IN LOVING MEMORY OF WALTER March 15, 2009
How do you keep
a wave upon the sand?
Sooner or later, we have to let go.
We
had to let go of our Walter yesterday. Try as we might, we couldn't fix him. His heart was just too tired. But even though
the mechanics failed, there is no doubt that love healed his heart in every other way. If only we could have kept this beautiful
fleeting wave upon the shore for longer than a few months. We had so much more love to share with him. To Natasha, his devoted
foster mom, and to the rest of her family, there are no words good enough to express all that we feel. You gave Walter the
greatest gift any of us have to give. And he gobbled it all up, like the little love vacuum you described him to be.
We wish Walter a safe journey home. And as we stand at the shore
whispering our goodbyes, we wait in anticipation of the next wave. In anticipation of Lulabelle...because the nicest thing
about love is that you never run out of it.
It is an honour to
share with you below some special words to Walter from his foster mom and family:
Dear Walter,
Like it so often
happens, I am afraid that I didn't have a chance to let you know how grateful I am to have had you come into my life.
From the very first night that you came to visit us at our house, slightly hesitant, slightly shy, but extremely affectionate
and eager, I fell in love with you. There was something so gentle, so good and forgiving inside those beautiful brown
eyes of yours. Oh don't get me wrong, I knew you could be a handful but I always knew you were trying your best
to be good even when you were at your naughtiest. Who could resist your complete bewilderment at hearing the words "No!
Walter!". You taught me about how big hearts can be. Big enough to forgive being abandoned, living in a cage,
and being condemned to death. Your heart was big enough to always focus on the good. You would jump up and try
to put you head on the lap of whomever was sitting on the couch. And you would make that human feel loved, needed and special.
Many of my clients have cried upon hearing that they will
no longer see you greet them at the door and have you sit beside them. I love you Walter and I miss you terribly.
I have your paw print not only on a plaque but deep inside my heart. I only wish all humans could have hearts as big as yours.
Thank you again, my dear, kind, gentle loving
friend.
Love always,
Your foster Mom, Natasha and the Grassel family.
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In this
heart lies for you
A lark born only for you
Who says only to you
My love
My love
My love I'm waiting for you
For only to adore
you
My heart is for you
My love
My love
My love This is my grief for you
For only the loss of you
The hurting of you
My
love
My love
My love There are rays on the weather
Soon these tears will have cried
All loneliness have died
My love
My love
My love I
will have you with me
In my arms only
For you are only
My love
My love
My love
"In This Heart"
Sinead O'Connor
Last week (Sept 2010), we lost the oldest beagle I've ever known. His name was Huck. It's taken
me a while to let you know because this little old fellow, who was barely bigger than a thimble, packed one powerful punch
to my heart and to the hearts of his forever foster family. He was supposed to live forever. At least, that's what we imagined.
But that was just a fairytale. Huck was
older than the moon and could no longer defy nature.
I'll always remember the day I met Huck. A volunteer
from the distant animal shelter where he was abandoned by his owner kindly brought him to us. He pulled up in his car after
hours of driving. And out came Huck, fresh as a daisy, bouncing more than walking. His driver followed behind him, leash in
hand and his pet parrot on his shoulder. They were quite the sight, the 3 of them.
That was a few years ago
now. Huck was supposed to be about 18 then.
It's because of Huck that I met two very special people who
I am so honoured to call friends. John and Laura were Huck's forever foster parents. They loved him, diapers and all. Both
musicians, Huck was well versed in all kinds of music but his favourite was the Blues. That's how he came to be known as their
little Blues Hound.
You'll never be forgotten Huck. That would be impossible.
In celebration
of Huck, we're dedicating the month of October to him.
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