A
Puppy Primer for Children and Adults
The story of a rescue Maltese, translated by her forever mother
By Sherry McKnight
SMASHWORDS Edition
Copyright February 2012 Sherry McKnight
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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Chapter Three – “I make a Friend!”
Chapter Four – “My Life Changes”
Chapter Five – “It’s a Topsy Turvy World”
Chapter Seven – “The Big Fuzz”
Chapter Eight – “I am Lost Again”
Chapter Nine - “I am Imprisoned”
Animal Control - Melbourne FL, March 2010
Animal ID# A511696 – No Name
This bulletin appears first in the file documenting the history of the sweet, destitute, ultimately rescued stray dog now named Gypsy. On March 9, 2010, an unidentified officer – no record if this was a law enforcement officer or an animal control agent – discovered two stray dogs, one was a blind - no identification - age uncertain female. The pair was captured while roaming the streets and alleyways of Titusville, Florida, a community near the Kennedy Space Center complex.
The frightened, sightless female was transported forty miles south to an animal control facility in Melbourne, Florida, where the above photo was taken and bulletin produced. This first forty miles trip was merely a fraction of the 1600 mile journey for the destitute canine on her path to eventual salvation.
Cindy Anwyll, a Melbourne resident and local representative of Southern Comfort Maltese Rescue (SCMR), was unaware of little “Miss No Name” until she received a telephone call from the animal control office in the final hours of the fourteen days allotted for a worried owner to claim the blind vagabond. This first guardian angel took charge of the forlorn animal, deciding that first on the agenda must be a trip to the groomer, as the stray female was a dirty, tangled mass of hair, the antipathy of the soft, white, silky coat which characterizes the Maltese breed.
These photographs are proof the only solution was to completely shave the dog's matted coat. It was the groomer who exclaimed, "Why you're just a little traveling girl aren't you? You're just a little Gypsy girl." Thus, Gypsy was christened.
BEFORE
AFTER
The next stopover was Longwood, Florida and the home of foster mother Jayne Lewis and husband Robert. This committed couple took charge of Gypsy, an obligation they would honor for twelve months. The Lewises began their term as foster overseers by traveling 9 hours to Atlanta, Georgia to deliver the frightened blind female into the care of another SCMR representative who resided in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where SCMR is headquartered.
By March 30, 2010, Gypsy, personalized with her new name, had been transformed into a more presentable little girl dog. An essential part of her transformation included appropriate medical examination and treatment, which were administered at a Chattanooga Tennessee veterinarian clinic.
Notations in the History/Information sheet for Gypsy indicate the Tennessee volunteer also accomplished, perhaps at her own expense, the following:
Treatments: Heartworm and flea administered on April 16, 2010.
Dental: “Teeth look ok but very bad breath – must be decay in there”
Behavior Issues: “Friendly, happy. Likes attention and snuggle time. She is house trained.
Food specifics include amount, kind, frequency, brand names and suggestions
Medical Issues: “She is blind from cataracts. She was infested with fleas and ticks when I got her out of the shelter. Need to check for tapeworms and check her for any tick born disease. She has been groomed and had her ears flushed. Might need to keep a close attention to her ears. She has started to cough – separate from other dogs.”
To label all SCMR rescuers simply “representatives” is unjust for these dedicated saviors personify the term "selfless guardians" who, as dedicated private citizens, spend countless time, money and effort in their roles as animal rescue volunteers, providing care, medical attention and secure homes to forsaken animals. The efforts of all rescue organizations are dependent on the contributions of participating volunteers in addition to the constant need for monetary donations, which too often fall short of the expenses incurred to save the animals in their custody.
Gypsy's sojourn continued as she was transported by Florida resident and foster mother, Jayne, back to Longwood and into a household already inhabited by multiple canines, seven dogs total, with Gypsy being the 3rd rescue case in residence. The next progress report is dated May 28, 2010, as veterinarian notations outline a thorough physical examination and assessment, including the phrase, “stumbles a lot – don’t know if it’s due to blindness or mobility issues.”
Foster mother Jayne is one of many selfless volunteers who are often utilized by SCMR to care for medical needs dogs. Gypsy’s blindness, brought on by cataracts, would require a person dedicated to healing animals plagued with serious medical conditions. Jayne’s unflappable devotion to the animals in her care necessitated multiple trips to vet offices and animal eye clinics, and strict adherence to medication administration – a few requiring 24 hour vigilance.
Happy,
healthy, and waiting for eye surgery
At this point, time was running out for Gypsy because her eyes were so bad and hardened that the bands which hold the lens in place were starting to snap. If something wasn't done soon the cataract surgery would not be feasible - Gypsy would live out her life without vision.
Jayne was not alone in striving to secure sight for this lovely little canine. Continuing her support, Cindy introduced Gypsy to the online discussion group Spoiled Maltese and a plea for donations was publicized. SCMR also initiated a campaign for donations among their supporters, whose big-hearted response was immediate. In due course, hundreds of loving Maltese owners sent gifts to the Gypsy Eye Fund and people from all over the nation donated a total of $2000.00 for Gypsy's "new eyes".
The surgery was not certain however. In Jayne's words, "we were short over a thousand dollars! I went to the eye clinic and literally begged them to help us get the surgery for Gypsy. They very generously gave us a discount so Gypsy could see again. They were just wonderful and we're talking over a thousand dollar donation in services." The animal eye doctors donated the unpaid portion for the costs of Gypsy’s complicated eye operations, which was successfully performed in July 2010. That Florida clinic's generosity was the cornerstone of the combined effort and commitment to a humane cause from hundreds of animal lovers, ultimately culminating in sight for Gypsy.
At this writing, Gypsy is a contented, protected, and sighted dog living with her forever mother in South Carolina. Though she may eventually develop cataracts again and over time her vision may diminish, Gypsy has enjoyed the miracle of sight and seen much of America during a cross country road trip in May, 2011. Her journey now totals over 2300 miles.
The above narrative chronicles Gypsy’s history from March 2009 as a pitiful stray to eventual adoption by this author in March 2011. What is a mystery is her life story from birth to being discovered on those lonely, dangerous streets of Titusville, Florida. From a dog lover's standpoint, I can imagine the regrets the preventable absence of a beloved pet must produce for Gypsy's journey need not have occurred had she been micro-chipped by her owner or proper ID tags secured to her collar or halter.
There is evidence she once underwent obedience training as she does understand and obey simple commands. She is also very healthy, therefore she was loved and cared for by one or more humans before losing her way and becoming a stray dog. This narrative is a docu-tail-tale of “what may have been” her story from loving owner(s) to sightless stray to inclusion into my life as her forever mother.
This is only one example of the life-saving efforts of rescue
organizations in America. You can help create other stories of
successful rescue. Gypsy and I have pledged to donate 20% of the net
proceeds of this book's sales to Southern Comfort Maltese Rescue.
Your purchase of this book contributes to the fine organization which
saved Gypsy. Continue your support by urging others to join the cause
by becoming better informed about homeless animals and local rescue
organizations. Hopefully you will wish to become involved, as well.
This publication is offered to introduce children, and un-informed adults, to the importance of rescuing shelter animals, and as a “how to” guide for the appropriate care and stewardship of a household pet. Vocabulary word exercises are included as an additional education aid.
The book could not be completed without the assistance of Debi M., Cindy Anwyll, and Jayne Lewis and is dedicated to these individuals, the many gallant volunteers of Southern Comfort Maltese Rescue, http://www.scmradoption.com, the animal eye clinic in Florida, the Spoiled Maltese website devotees, and all loving and noble mommies and daddies of rescued and spoiled pets.
Gypsy sends her puppy love, a wet kiss, and a big wink to all her human angels!
Gypsy’s wardrobe courtesy of and designed by Marti Todd of Tanner Togs
Photographs by Jayne Lewis and Sherry McKnight.
Public domain clipart
*****
Chapter One – “I am Whelped”
I see my world for the first time
I remember my whelping (Noun: the birth of a puppy). A sliver of bright light glistened in the warm dark fluid I was floating in as I suddenly started sliding through a narrow tube – plop! out onto a cold and slippery, fluffy and really bright place. I sensed the nearness of a squiggly gooeyness against me and then the comfort of heat slowly glided over me. Ooohh, what a delightful sensation (Noun: a feeling) the hot, slight roughness gave me! I began to feel touches farther away but still on me. Something jerked and somehow I knew it was part of me – I was bigger than just my thinking. I had bigness. Other parts of me twitched in reaction to heat, then cold. There was a loudness and then a sudden rush of what I came to know as air and suddenly the movement against me left! I was touching nothing. The warm rough wetness went away and I was so sad a humming started to grow in me.
When
the warm wetness touched me again, my humming lessened. I was pushed
over the fluffiness and bumped into other humming lumps until I was
pushed against a warm barrier. I moved toward a comforting aroma
until my mouth made contact with a new discovery and suddenly there
was a sweet tasty liquid flowing into me. I was so happy and content,
my hum changed but never stopped.
I have pictures in my memory of blurry shapes, whirring and slurping and wiggling. And when the blurry forms became less fuzzy, I could see their smallness and somehow I knew they were just like me. I’m older and bigger now so I know the other forms were my 2 brothers and a sister. We were called a litter (Noun: a group of newborn puppies). We were all white with black eyes and noses, just like the big other, who was our mother. It was Mother whose rough tongue had cleaned us and moved us about, pushing us to her comforting belly where we could get her sweet milk.
Being part of the litter was great fun. My litter mates and I nipped at ears and rolled over tummies, sniffed tails and bit toe nails. And when we tired, we all nestled together and slept until Mother came and it was milk time again. My world of play and sleep and milk was occasionally interrupted by a different kind of presence. Mother said the intruders (Noun: those who enter suddenly without invitation) were humans. She said most humans were good. They could be trusted and would provide us with shelter and comfort. Mother didn’t say anything bad about humans, so I soon welcomed their touch and discovered their rhythmic caresses (Noun: petting, stroking) were very soothing.
Over time my brothers and sister and I played and stumbled and tumbled, and Mother was gone more often from our nesting area. One day human hands took us to a bigger brightness – it was filled with green stringy “threads” which tasted much different than Mother’s sweet fluid. The strings were cool and very fun to lie in and bite and chew. What a bigness there was in the green world Mother called grass! I scurried around after my litter mates and we all bumped into each other, becoming one big furry mass that rolled all over the place. Playing in the grassy place was fun!
Fur! Boy! how great is fur?! So soft! And paws! Four of them! I really enjoyed the long, curly, fuzzy appendage which followed everywhere I went! I learned it was called a tail.
I was amazed at all the places on me that I could lick and taste and scratch and… well, it was just wonderful to feel all my parts. I came to know that near my tail were areas which became wet and even smelly. Mother said we should go to a place away from our play and sleep areas when that urge (Noun: need) came.
Mother also said I was often too bossy with my litter mates when I pushed them aside to reach her sweet milk or when I yelled, “I want to sleep there, you must move away so I can lie down.” She said I was the alpha (Noun: leader) female in the litter, but I could still be kind to my brothers and sister even though it was natural for me to take the lead. I tried very hard to be nice but sometimes I had to nip an ear to get my way.