The Heart of an Angel, The Spirit of a Warrior and a Rekindling Spirit

You know we like books.

All sorts of books.

Including Madeline L'Engle's books.

Perhaps her best recognized one is A Wrinkle in Time.
She also wrote A Wind in the Door.

In that book L’Engle speaks of the image of a star's light going out

every time something bad happens here on Earth.  

It’s a vision we can grasp.

And believe.

Well, sadly, a star went out a couple of nights ago.

Before you read further, grab a tissue.

Or ten.

And then read on.

If you read to the end.

You'll find there is a happy ending.

We received a sad message recently.

Another very special wire fox terrier has left for the Bridge this week.

Teddy.

Teddy Bear.

This little dog didn't blog. He was doing his best to survive.

Neither did his Angel Mommy blog.

She stays busy dealing with rescuing and rehoming 

scores of fox terriers each year.  

Many of you know her: Cheryl, in Iowa.

Cheryl was our angel. 

I (Jake) lived with her for nearly a year before I was moved to Colorado.

Fergi made it straight to rescue in Colorado because of her.  

Cheryl wrote this note about her Teddy,

shared it with us and agreed that we may share it with you.

So that we may know Teddy.

So that we may know about love, and strength,

and resilience and terrier tenacity.

So that we may know more about puppy mill dogs

and rescue and adoption.

But that mostly so that we could celebrate and always remember the special little dog.

Here is an impression of him
in his favorite spot
on his last night.

photo by Asta and her Mommi

And here is Cheryl's message about him:

A Prayer for my Teddy Bear

I have had a very dear puppymill dog named Teddy Bear for about three years. Teddy was diagnosed with Cushings Disease two years ago. He and I kept it well-controlled until this summer, when he started to loose control of his back legs and lost interest in living. Tonight (September 11, 2009) at 7:45 My Teddy Bear gave up and went to Rainbow Bridge. He died peacefully lying on a soft blanket with "I love you" whispered in his ear. I don't think he could hear any more, but he loved me, too. 

Teddy came to me as a ten year old puppymill dog who was just not adoptable. He had lived in the mills too long. He had in his prime been a beautiful, well-bred adorable dog. He had the most beautiful colors and thickest fur I have ever seen. (But oh how he hated to be groomed - LOL) He was so cute and he looked like a Teddy Bear. Teddy just hung out here and he learned to trust me. He had a peaceful contented life here.


And tonight he is Free At Last. 

Say a Prayer for him as he enters Rainbow Bridge, so everyone there will know he was loved and he did have someone who loved him, for all too short a time, but he did at least know love and kindness before he left this earth. 

God's Speed Teddy Bear 

After we read this,

Cheryl and Moma emailed each other back and forth. 

She told Moma more about Teddy,

much of which was familiar stuff, 

reminding Moma of Fergi and me.

This is what she said (reprinted with her permission):

“I would be honored if you want to post my Prayer for Teddy Bear. I am so happy to have a Tribute to this wonderful old man. He was a special guy who just never could come out of the trauma of life in a mill. He kind of kept to himself and just hung out doing his thing. He never played or interacted with other dogs; he could care less. He had lost his Wire Spirit. He was in his own little world. 

He came to me a total mess. He was frightened, looked a wreck and would scream as if you were beating him if you ever attempted to touch his neck or face. I do mean scream. It took me at least a year to get him to trust me. I cried the day I finally was able to groom his face without him trying to bite me, scream and fight. I felt it was a true victory.

He walked in tight circles for a long time. He didn't realize he could just walk in a straight line. He finally slowly adjusted and would enjoy a walk around the yard. Teddy finally stopped the circling and he did learn to walk on a leash. He would stretch out in the sun usually on the cement. But he was just not adoptable. I worked with him and I fell in love with him.

Teddy didn't like to be loose in the house. He never did. To the day he died, he would search relentlessly for his favorite safe spot: A big blue wire cage on top of a counter by a window. I had to pick him up to put him in it. He would come to me if I went outside and clapped and called “Teddy, Teddy Bear.” He would slowly walk to me and if I walked out to meet him, he would happily follow me. Then he would push on me. He wanted to be picked up, because he knew I would put him in his safe spot.  He would lay in his cage with the door open and I could pet him, scratch his ears, rub his neck and he even learned to enjoy a hug and kiss on his muzzle. He adjusted to loving soft touch from just a few people, but I was the only one he totally trusted. 

I cry for what could have been for this beautiful dog. He had the heart of an Angel and the spirit of a Warrior. He had to fight to stay alive in the mills of Missouri. I only wish I could have known him when he was young. He was a short stocky built guy with magnificent colors. A beautiful thick coat. I loved to just sit and pet him I have never felt a more lovely coat on a Wire. 

Teddy was in his own world, but he did let me in sometimes. He and I had many special moments and a strong bond of trust. I let him be what he was and accepted him; I just figured I would love him and give him everything I could get him to accept. I never pushed Teddy, I just let him be Teddy and loved him the way he was. He was My dog. He had a master who loved him, cared for him and now misses him. I guess that was the best I could give him. 

So. There you have it.

Moma has helped us type through tears.

Tears of Sadness.

Tears of Anger.

And Tears of Love.

But the story doesn’t end there.

Remember we mentioned Madeline L'Engle?

Well, she went on to describe that

just as something bad causes a star to die,

something good, however small,
has the power to help another little star rekindle itself.

(Mr. Chaucer was actually the one who reminded us

of this image.)

Well, even more recently (September 13) four new little stars were born.

One of Cheryl’s newly rescued foxie Girls, 

a female who was removed from a mill pregnant with puppies

whelped four tiny babies

into a world of love and security.

Free of the life of neglect and abuse in a mill. 

Here they are with their mama:

Two girls:

And two boys:

So. A bright star dimmed with the loss of Teddy.

But four new ones were born to shine brightly.

As Madeleine L’Engel said, 

"For each new birth a star will pulse with light."

While darkness and sadness blanket us

the sky is a little brighter tonight.

And the lives of four sweet puppies are sure to be

filled with love and security.

It helps, we think, to realize the circle of life.

Cheryl wrote tonight saying:

So far Teddy's house remains empty just the way he left it. I am not sure I can ever put another dog in there. The Teddy Bear sitting in there kind of made me smile. He was like a teddy. Thick, soft, with wonderful fur; kind of chubby and so huggable.

We'll miss you, Teddy.

But we'll always remember you.

And every time we look at the sky,

we'll think of the new little stars that twinkle

gently rekindled just as your star dimmed.

Thank you.

So, dear bloggie readers,

We told you when we first introduced ourselves:

we are ambassadors for rescue and adoption.

Particularly puppymill rescue and adoption.

Thank you for letting us sometimes use this forum

in a very explicit (and sometimes painful) way.

It is out of love that we do it.

Love,

Jake and Fergi

Pee S

We just had to add this.

We stumbled upon it as we wrote this blog post

and it seemed fitting.

It's from Walt Whitman

Continuities

Nothing is ever really lost, or can be lost,

No birth, identity, form--no object of the world.

Nor life, nor force, nor any visible thing;

Appearance must not foil, nor shifted sphere confuse thy brain.

Ample are time and space--ample the fields of Nature.

The body, sluggish, aged, cold--the embers left from earlier fires,

The light in the eye grown dim, shall duly flame again;

Another Pee S

If you are interested in dropping Cheryl a line, 

her email is here.

We’re sure she’d appreciate some comforting licks and wags.

If you'd like to visit
Wire Fox Terrier Rescue Midwest
here is a link to their website.
You can follow Lily and her babies
and see all the other wirey ones who have been
or are in the process of being
rescued, rehomed, and given another chance.
Thanks to angels like Cheryl
and you.


Woof.