Emerald

Then there is Emerald - always a day late and a dollar short. Not six months after Baylee found us, Geri and I went to the Shelter to see what was going on. Curled up in a basket on the counter was a sweet, little puppy with glassy eyes and a runny nose. We were told that he was a drop-off and he had barked from the back pens until they were forced to bring him inside. He had settled quietly into the basket and was watching the comings and goings with mild curiosity. He was such a doll, we offered to pay the adoption fee for anyone who would give him a good home. He deserved that for the credit of making a big enough pest of himself to get from the outside pen to the inside of the comfy basket. We were told that he didn't feel well, he wasn't eating or drinking, and, if we wanted to help out, we could take him to the vet.

He lay in my lap the whole way, his little body pushed up against me for comfort. He was lethargic and is nose ran the whole way. We walked him in on a leash. Inside, he spotted another dog and I watched his tail give one weak, little wag. We turned him over to the staff, ordering all his shots and tests, and asked for a phone call when he was ready to be picked up.

Two hours later the phone rang. It was the vet and it was bad news. Some of the worst news you could get. The little guy had parvo and was on his last legs. I had barely heard the word but knew it was usually a death sentence. I asked the vet what would be best and the answer was to put the little fellow to sleep. I told them I would handle the charges and thanked them for their time.

I'll never forget - it was about 4:00 p.m. that day and my heart took on a weight that I thought was going to sink it from my chest. I couldn't get the little puppy off my mind. And how he had been dropped off, barked his way to the front of the Shelter office, just to be discovered by me and then taken to the vet for a death sentence. I picked up the phone and called the vet office. When I asked if the puppy had been euthanized, I was told that he was being taken back at this moment. I asked them to wait a minute and explain Parvo to me. I had read quite a bit on the internet earlier and was convinced that euthanasia was the correct thing to do, but I needed reassurance. Could Parvo be cured? Yes...but it was expensive. Could this puppy be saved? Yes, but along with the expense, there was time involved, time for the virus to be shed through the poop, and just a lot of maintenance. I said, "Save the little guy's life." They said, "Credit card information, please." (To be continued...)