PepiSmartDog
The Beginning
by PepiSmartDog
Published by PepiSmartDog
Copyright 2011 PepiSmartDog
Smashwords Edition
© ISBN 978-0-9872074-0-1
PepiSmartDog BN22225900
PepiSmartDog Paw Productions BN22225912
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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Table of Contents
Dedication
This book series is dedicated to all Golden Oldies in animal shelters around the world, hoping someone will choose them, so they too can have a forever family.
I hope Pepi’s story inspires you to consider adopting an elderly pet and discover how wonderful they are and how much they still have to give.
by
Michele, Pepi’s typist and mum.
Preface
This is the true story of Pepi, starting when he was 12 years old. First in the series, this book reveals Pepi’s remarkable story of the elderly dog who found himself homeless, and went on to become an international multi-media Celebrity.
Chapter 1: Strange Happenings
An elderly pet with an elderly family seemed perfect. After twelve years together, I saw strange boxes arriving at our house and felt tensions rising. But nothing had prepared me to become homeless.
My humans kept hugging me, as they put me in the strange car, and I watched them wave goodbye and fade into the distance. I didn’t know it would be the last time I would ever see them.
Strangers lifted me out of the car to deafening howls and barks. I was at The Animal Welfare League, Queensland, rescue shelter (AWLQ). And the only people I knew were all gone.
I was twelve years old, with early cataracts and now homeless. I was terrified and the noise was deafening. I was old and wanted to go home and sleep in my own bed. For the first time in my life I slept outside, on cold concrete.
Being held on the Vet’s examination table, I was poked and prodded as I heard the words: “he’ll have to be neutered”, but didn’t know what it meant. The next day I woke up in terrible pain, unable to walk.
Twelve years old, homeless and now neutered. Can this get worse? Yes, I soon found out it can. Days drifted in and out, but still my family did not arrive. I waited and waited, rapidly losing weight, due to depression and trauma.
I didn’t belong at this place. What had I done to deserve this? *bursting into howling sobs*
The new humans kept looking at me with worried faces. I wasn’t eating and I had all but given up. Next thing five puppies were surrounding me, jumping on me and pulling my ears. The little creeps wouldn’t leave me alone.
Days drifted in and out and still my family did not come. I waited and waited. I didn’t belong at this shelter. Why was this happening? What did I do to deserve this? *tears*
I was not equipped to be homeless, so AWLQ saved my life. They are also one of the few shelters that take special interest in looking after Golden Oldies. They put a special sign over me saying “Pet of the Week” $50.00. People came and went and the puppies were still driving me nuts. I was thoroughly depressed.
A woman came and looked at me. I put all my charm together and gave her my best smile! She looked intently into my eyes. I stared back and did voodoo on her with all my powers.
She patted me and kept talking to me. But then all of a sudden I could see she was not taking me with her. I slumped down, turned and slowly shuffled away toward the back of the enclosure. With the silly puppies still jumping all over me. When I glanced back, the woman was still standing there staring at me. My life was doomed.
Chapter 2: Hope
The next day the same woman arrived, but I had already used my best charms on her and it didn’t work. I wasn’t about to do that again.
Next thing I knew, the woman and I were standing in a special patting area. There seemed to be a lot of fuss going on. Next, I was carried to the office, then I got fitted out with a new collar and harness!
I was going somewhere and so was the woman.
After a short, nervous car ride I went inside the house and met the other people. The old man didn’t seem that friendly to me. He went and laid down, so I followed him and laid down with him.
I lay’d on my back with my four legs in the air, then I put one paw on his hand. From this minute on, the old man really liked me a lot.
The next few months were extremely difficult for me. I couldn’t understand anything the people said. I couldn’t find any of my own stuff. Worst of all, I couldn’t find any of ‘my’ humans.
So I made a plan: as soon as these new humans went out and left me alone, I’d use all my strength to smash whatever was in-front of me. I decided I was going ‘home’, at any cost.
I tore the internal security screen off the backdoor, scratched all the paint off several inside doors, and then made another decision = I needed to ramp things up a bit. All I wanted to do was go ‘home’ and nothing was going to stop me.
Plan B was breaking thru the back fence and running loose on the golf course. This worked really good - but each time I got through the fence I didn’t know which direction to run and I didn’t have a compass.
I never understood what all the fuss was; I’d be in the middle of dismantling a door (stripped paint everywhere) and the woman would be firm, but kindly, and carry me to another room. Then I’d hear the other humans making loud noises. Sometimes even screams.
The woman started to get wise to my plan. One Saturday it all came to a head. She attached plastic mesh to the fence and blocked the lower part with bricks. I rolled the bricks out the way and went under the fence. She ran after me, quietly carried me back and used triple bricks to keep me imprisoned.
As soon as she went inside the house, I shredded the mesh and squeezed through the fence and took off. I was going home !
The woman ran after me and tricked me with treats. Next thing, I’m being carried back and put into the house again. The woman drove to the hardware store and bought steel mesh and attached that to the backyard golf course fence.
The backdoor opened and out I went. Steel ? What steel ? I grabbed the steel mesh and ripped the panels off the fence and squeezed through and took off, with the woman yelling my name.
She used another sneaky trick and carried me back again. She drove back to the store again, and bought stronger mesh. The shop man said “there was no way the dog would escape this time.” HA ! But I wasn’t just any old dog.
The woman really thought she had tricked me this time = she put me in the laundry courtyard, with concrete walls and another one of those security screen doors. She put the new mesh panel on the security door and left me alone. I saw the woman peeping out of the window though.
I grabbed the new stronger mesh and bent and twisted it, swinging on it with all my might = until it snapped. I was invincible ! No-one could keep me from going home. Should have seen the woman’s face through the window. BOL !
I heard the woman drive off in the car again and then come back again. She said “this steel is for bulls; no way you are getting through this one.”
She left me alone in the laundry courtyard, but I could see her peeping through the window. I ran and threw myself at the extra strong mesh and swung on it so hard all my paws were off the ground. I was not going to take no for an answer.
I kept trying and trying. After some time, the woman came out and looked in my mouth and seemed worried about my now bleeding gums. I was using all my strength to either rip the stupid mesh off or rip out my teeth. My mouth was bleeding everywhere. The woman kept running out and looking in my mouth, checking for loose or broken teeth.
It was literally hours before I had to throw in the bone and realize the bull-mesh had beaten me. The woman watched me slump to the ground, crushed mentally, emotionally and physically.
The woman sat on the ground with me and patted me and tried to console me. I’m sure I had tears in my eyes. We both sat there for a long time. Remarkably, none of my teeth came out. Guess they were made of steel too.
Chapter 3: Going Home
This was a turning point in my life and I never looked back. After this day, my whole outlook changed for the better. I never tried to escape ever again. I began to remember how to smile again and my nightmares became less and less.
I accepted my new home and my new ‘forever family.’ I had been there for almost three months. Three months of deep depression and horrific nightmares that happened almost every time I slept. I would howl and whimper and sometimes scream and usually wakeup startled or fearful, but always depressed.
It was a happy moment when the lady put my first coat on me. This was the first time I felt ‘loved.’ All the humans gathered around and said how good I looked in red tartan.
I strutted around and posed several times, showing my approval of their good choice of outfit. This was the first night I slept peacefully.
I was still completely mute, but had a really nice tartan coat, a few toys and I was starting to put on a little weight, so I didn’t look skinny anymore.
Over the next three months lots of good things started happening. Twice a day, the woman started taking me for short walks on the edge of the golf course; I got more coats, started going to the Dog Park a few times a week and I made new doggie friends, although I was still mute.
On every walk I always carried a buddy (toy) in my mouth and never took the same toy twice in a row. It wasn’t long before I had 24 toys and I never ever damaged any single one of them.
It was exactly six months when one of the neighbor dogs came into our house to say hello, as they often did. In the middle of it all I BARKED at the man to say “Hey don’t forget me!” Everyone burst into tears and started hugging me and kissing me. It was really weird.
From then on, I barked whenever I thought it was necessary, and went on to have a huge vocabulary. From this day on, my life started to get very exciting.
I went on to become to media celebrity, a fashionista with 18 outfits, Sheriff of the street, fitness guru and all round good guy ! And this was all done before we joined Twitter @PepiSmartDog.
Follow my exciting story in my next book. You’ve read my beginning, but the next chapters are exciting and fun. Connect With Me Online
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/#!/PepiSmartDo@PepiSmartDog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/PepiSmartDog/153493788050623
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/PepiSmartDog
My website: http://www.PepiSmartDog.com
About The Author
I lived with my elderly family for the first twelve years of my life.
When they had to move into a Nursing Home I was not able to go with them, so I was lovingly passed to the Animal Welfare League Queensland, Australia.
After being adopted to my new ‘Forever Family’, I became the official poster boy for AWLQ, then became the face of ‘Golden Oldies’ in numerous animal shelters around the world.
I quickly became a global multi-media celebrity, appearing in magazines, newspapers and television. Then I joined Twitter, PepiSmartDog, where I’m followed by thousands.
I am a staff writer for TheAnipalTimes global online paper, where I cover hard news, as well as various other subjects.
My website www.PepiSmartDog.com has several blogs on the one site.
I’ve been reporting on Fukushima since March, covering the plight of the pets left behind.
In September 2009 I crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, and have become a RB Ambassador. I meet new Pals arriving at the Bridge and drive them to their Welcome Banquet, in my Pram Stroller.
I have a number of movies, including a “Guided Tour Of the Rainbow Bridge.”I am actively involved in front line animal rescue and charity work throughout the world.
