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Mel |
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How did we become involved with Dalmatian Rescue? Inadvertently, it was through our beloved Mattie. Mattie was the anchor of our family for 15 years. She was our clown, our protector, our spotted bundle of love and so much more. We had to make that agonizing, yet merciful decision to let her go in January of 2007. We were not ashamed of the tears that would so easily fall for months after her death. And, we still had our herd of 5 felines to love and tend to. They too, mourned her absence. At times, the silence in the house was deafening. Approximately five months later, Gene and I started talking about the many animals that needed homes. The time had come to look forward to sharing our resources and love with another. I can’t say that Mattie was so special because she was a Dalmatian or that she was just special. Regardless, I found the website for Dalmatian Rescue of Colorado. If we had any hesitation about adopting again, it vanished as we looked at those wonderful faces. Knowing that we could only adopt one dog, we visited with two exceptional foster parents and their dogs and communicated with several others. The selection process would not be easy. Our major concern was to adopt a dog that would co-exist with cats. It turned out that this was a pretty tall order. At the end of June, we were notified that there were 2 Dalmatians at the Colorado Humane Society. We went to visit Freedom and Zipper. How can one possibly make a lifetime commitment after a 15 minute visit? Freedom seemed tense walking past the cat enclosure. Zipper didn’t seem to take much notice, however, he growled at a puppy who had brushed against him. Thankfully, we didn’t have to make the decision. We received a call that Zipper had developed kennel cough and needed to get into foster care while he recovered. Zipper was clearly depressed when we first saw him. This dog was close to giving up on life. When I picked him up, I knew that this was not going to be a foster arrangement. It would be a forever home. It has been over 6 weeks since Zipper, renamed Mel, has been in our lives. It turned out that he was more afraid of the cats than they were of him. He now enjoys nose-to-nose contact with the cats and an occasional full-body rub from Abe. Everyday, a little bit more of his true personality shines through. The first time he was allowed to jump on the bed, he cried and wiggled like a puppy. Obviously, this was a treasured event that he had not experienced for a long time. Mel is not a replacement for Mattie. That would be unfair to both of them. He is a character is his own right, and a perfect and greatly loved addition to our diversified household. Many thanks to Beth and Karen, and to all of the committed foster parents who provide love and care to so many in need. Sincerely, |
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