Sara's
Page
SAD
ANNOUNCEMENT
It
is with great regret that I announce the passing of Joanne's beloved Sara
Jane on November 13, 2000. She was loved more then most, and when she finally
was rescued, and given the life that she so readily deserved, she was struck
down by cancer. I hate this disease, and the sadness and devastation it
brings to us all.
Joanne,
I know there is nothing that I can say to take the pain away. I know the
sadness you felt when you watch her body failing as her spirit tried to
continue on.
May
my Grumpy girl meet with her the bridge.
(Please
continue on with Saras story)
Joanne
Belles & Sara, the rescue Rottie
Sara's
sad story...
Anyone
here in New Jersey (USA) is probably familiar with the situation at
Garden
State Kennels, Sterling NJ. The owner of this "shelter" was fined,
I
believe,
$60,000 and lost his kennel license. He was closed down because he was
caught
with a cruel, illegal drug on his premises. He SAID they weren't using
it.....
It was a drug to euthanize animals that would suffocate them without
rendering
them unconscious. How many cats and dogs died in terror at his
hands....
This
was written up in the local newspapers, although I didn't follow the story
and
it didn't mean much to me until later. There was an appeal by various rescue
groups
posted on Petfinder.org. All animals had to "go", one way or another, by
the
end of March. Keep in mind that this place was STILL doing animal control
for
neighbouring towns up until the very last minute. The rescue groups were
going
nuts, everyone was trying to get all the animals out, and the shelter was
only
open two hours a day. Imagine trying to place an entire shelter full of
animals
in only 3 weeks....
I
had seen a listing of the current available animals, and one of them touched
my
heart. It was for an old rottweiler lady, age around 8? They wanted $100
per
dog,
cash only, of course. I emailed the rottie rescue people and they couldn't
take
her. She's not terribly adaptable at her age, anyway. There was also a
younger,
bigger rottie bitch there at the same time.
A
co-worker was interested in another dog there, so off we went. Got lost
on the
way....
The first thing I said was "I want to see the old rottie bitch". They
let
us in the back, and there she was. While all the other dogs were barking
and
jumping
hysterically. She sat like a little lady, and took a treat gently from
my
hands through the bars of her cage. It's really hard to sit still when
your
butt
is wiggling. Looking at me with these hopeful, yet wistful, sad eyes. Her
muzzle
was all grey, she was little and sweet. Not exactly what you imagine when
you
think "rottweiler". I had them take her out and she hit me so hard.
That
was
MY DOG and there was NO WAY she was dying in that horrible place. It was
the
hardest
thing in the world to let them put her back in that cage.
I
drove home like a maniac and told my husband about her. There was no way
I
needed
another big dog. I already had a rottie/springer and had just adopted a
very
difficult rescue doberman the month before. Also, coming out of the winter
months,
money was tight. My husband is disabled, on Social Security and I'm the
only
one working. I'd already owed everybody in the world, car insurance,
electric
bill.... heck with them if they couldn't take a joke. This was her life
we
were talking about. My husband said to me: well, why didn't you just call
me?
It
never occurred to me....
I
took the $100 out of my account and drove down there the next day. I was
waiting
when they unlocked the door. Fibbed to hubby on what I paid for her...
I
said
$50. Please don't tell him.... I brought a collar and leash with me. They
would
have been happy to sell me one. I said- "I'm here for the old rottie
bitch".
After making a phone call, the kid brings her out. As I'm trying to
reacquaint
us, this girl is cringing on the floor. Her head in my chest, looking
at
me. Occasionally, the tongue would come out to give me a kiss. Something
wasn't
right "don't you remember me from yesterday? I know I don't have any more
treats"...
I
had my leash on her, all paid for and ready to walk out the door. I ask
for
the
third time " Are you SURE this is the old rottie?".
I'm
looking at her and I say "you look bigger!". I pull out the photos I had
taken
the day before, sure enough, they had given me the wrong dog. They didn't
even
care enough to be able to tell which was which. So we go back, and sure
enough,
she's still sitting in her cage. Now I feel terrible about the second
dog,
but I understand she was also gotten out. So we re-do the paperwork. They
have
my $100 cash and scrawl my name on a lined white piece of paper. I get
a
receipt
for "one rottweiler". I ask- does she have any shots (dunno), any rabies
shot
(dunno, we don't do that), is she spayed (shrug shoulder, dunno).... How
can
anyone in good conscious, let a dog go out the door like that? All
I wanted
to
do was grab my dog and run..... She spent the entire trip home "bunking"
my
hand
with her head so I should pet her. I named her Sara Jane, it seemed to
fit.
(Sara in the
rear. Savannah is in the front)
.
Awesome
is the only word that describes her. She has off the leash obedience like
you
wouldn't believe. This poor girl, picked up as a stray, stripped of her
heritage
and even her name... Someone spent alot of time with her. If it was me,
I
would have tore the place apart looking for her. She was also very thin,
and
stunk
of the kennel. I gave her three baths....
She
learned the joys of being a house dog. I don't think she was ever in the
house.
For all the training she had, she wasn't housebroke. I think she was just
somebody's
kennel dog. You don't expect an older dog not to be housebroke. It
took
me a while to catch on. When somebody wanted to go out, generally everybody
went
out. One day I happened to catch her piddling on the carpet. Her expression
was
"hang on, mom, be right with you. I'm busy now". Huh??? She hadn't a clue
and
you could tell she had no idea. See the light bulb go on in my head!
After
that,
I took her out often and praised madly. All the neighbours are sure I'm
nuts.
I'm out there going "Good girl, Sara. Good PEE PEE Puppy, GOOD poopie
puppy".
Praising at the tops of my lungs. Didn't take her long at all....
Clever
girl, she even scrounged a chicken bone from the garbage. One of the nice
NERR
ladies took it away from her with a minimum of grumbling. She does the
"rottie
rumble", something else I'll never forget about her.
A
couple weeks later, I notice her get up and limp away????? What the ....????
I
feel an "unevenness" in one of her front leg
I
thought - oh, maybe it's an old fracture. Within another couple weeks,
it's
grown
to a visible lump. I think I know.... I took her in for x-rays on May 18,
2000.
The day before my 21st wedding anniversary. They squeezed her in for me,
but
I had to leave her. I could pick her up at the end of the day. I was
horrified
at the x-rays. The "little lump" in the center of her front leg was
osteo
sarcoma and it was all the way up into her elbow. I suspect it was already
in
her lungs because she was always panting. She has since also developed
a lump
on
her back. They told me to take her home and love her..... I was told that
this
cancer tends to be chemo resistant and if I opted for an amputation (if
her
lungs
were clear) it might give her another 6 months. That's not how I want my
girl
to spend her last six months. I would rather have a couple good months
for
her,
than 6 months of pain. It can only end one way. I just have to have the
courage
to let her go with grace and dignity. Staying at the vets that day must
have brought back memories of the shelter. She
was
in pain from the manipulating of her leg, but she wouldn't let us out of
her
sight.
She kept getting up and following us around, even though she was limping
so.
They told me to bring her back in a couple months, in a month if she was
having
problems. They would x-ray and see how she's doing. It wasn't in the main
weight
bearing bone yet.... I can't do it. I don't want to put her through that
again,
I know the next vet visit will be her last.
(Miss
Sara Jane Rottweiler Belles MMLM (my mommy loves me)
I
try and limit her exercise. No walking, she can't even make it around the
block.
She doesn't understand why I leave her home when I walk the other guys.
(No,
Sara honey, don't run). I pick her up and put her in the van for a ride.
She's
loves it, so. She sits between the two front seats so she can be petted
constantly.
She made it to NE Rott-Stock! Had a marvellous time, was a little
social
butterfly. If you looked in her direction, she came over so you could hug
her
and rumple her ears. Clever girl, she even scrounged a chicken bone from
the garbage. One of the nice
NERR
ladies took it away from her with a minimum of grumbling. She does the
"rottie
rumble", something else I'll never forget about her.
I
wonder if she isn't very, very old. Even her little dots above her eyes
are
grey.
I don't regret for a minute getting her and knowing her. I had hoped to
be
able
to spoil her for a couple years at least, but it's not to be. So
I make
all
her favourites, pork roast. Ice cream for dessert. She always gets all
my
whipped
cream. Her little eyes show so bright, with whipped cream all over her
muzzle.
I think I'll always remember that about her.
I
keep looking into those little Hershey's kisses eyes. And she keeps
looking back
at
me. Wondering if it's time... She's having good days and bad days. I think
we're
getting close to the end. She's had a very good five months with
me. I
regret
that it isn't longer. I wonder about her past, my lady of mystery. Did
someone
just open the gate and send her out on the streets because she wasn't
working
well for them? For shame, and their loss. I cry over her every day, she
doesn't
know why mommy is raining teardrops on her. I think a grave would be too
sad
for me. I would like to have her cremated and scatter her ashes on my
property.
It may be the only place she had any happiness, let her spirit be on
the
wind in peace.
This
story is composed by Joanne Belles
(BACK)
(This page was edited
on November 21, 2000)