The Rainbow Bridge....

Eleven and a half years ago when I worked in Hamilton I walked into a low income co-op townhouse community and found a 10 month old purebred german shepherd in a cage in the kitchen that was half his size. He slept with is legs bent sideways and his head and neck twisted to bend within the realms of the cage. It was heartbreaking! The people that owned him: the guy wanted a german shepherd that made a statement of fierce and mean - he worked 12 hour shifts and was never home to look after the dog. The woman had her hands full with 3 young children and didn't like dogs to begin with. They had a cat. The dog lived in the cage in the kitchen.
My Mom and Dad had lost a german shepherd about 2 months earlier. We always had german shepherds and in the past had always got our dogs from reputable breeders. My Mom and Dad were on a trip across Canada at the time but independently and without the other knowing, had always called me to see if I knew of any dog that needed a good home. They were both in denial that they wanted another dog and perhaps refused to admit that to one another. After many anonymous calls from both of them I decided to find a dog for them.
While working for the Hamilton Spectator and reading multiple newspapers a day (afterall, that was my business) I came across this ad. For whatever reason, and this particular ad, I called the people and went to see the dog. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.
I have to tell you that me and my Mom and Dad are extreme animal lovers.
When I arrived at the townhouse and seen this poor german shepherd bent up in this small cage in the kitchen, it was all I could do not to verbally and physically abuse the owners. I was disgusted and had never seen anything so sad in my life. The eyes on this 10 month old german shepherd spoke loud and clear. He was not mean or fierce. He was friendly and simply dealt a bad hand to people who did not deserve him. I immediately asked to have the dog taken out of the cage. I asked to take the dog outside. They told me he had never run on his own. He had never gone down steps. He had never played in an open environment. He had never seen anything outside of a 10X10 area that he was allowed to poop in. I said - LET THE DOG OUT OF THE CAGE!!
I had a frisbee in my car at the time. It took me awhile to get the dog to come down the front steps. He didn't know how to walk down stairs! For 3 hours, I played frisbee with this dog. He was a dream. I knew right away he didn't have a mean bone in his body. He would never be mean and fierce like the shithead owner wanted him to be. After 3 hours, I took the dog back into the house and said I wanted first dibs on the dog. I said I would be back in 2 days to do this all over again and if the dog responded the same way - I would take the dog.
Two days later, I arrived to play frisbee with the dog again. I was not leaving without that dog! Bottom line!! For another 3 hours, I played with this dog in an open environment. I bought the dog on the spot and loaded him into my car. I actually felt like I had rescued an animal. I was even afraid to stop for gas cause I didn't know if this german shepherd would try to bolt from my car. He did no such thing. He swear to this day, he and I had an understanding that he was being saved and going to a place that would give him a much better life.
I loaded him into my car (with my german shepherd) not knowing how 2 german shepherds would get along in the back of a buick for a 2 hour ride. He was fine. (He barfed, cause he'd never been in a car before, but he was fine. So was my old 10 year old shepherd Tye.)
My Mom and Dad had just returned from their trip and had taken the boat out for a ride. When they returned, they found a 10 month old german shepherd with a red bow around his neck and a letter that said he would promise to be the best dog they had ever had! He didn't lie!
For the next 11 years, I watched him run free on a beautiful property in Muskoka. I watched him lunge off a dock everytime someone would jump in. With his stick in his mouth and his legs tucked up he would jump as far as he could. I think he smiled every day! I think I smiled everyday knowing I had saved this beautiful animal. My Mom and Dad smiled everyday because they truly had the best german shepherd they had ever had in their life.
On Thursday March 22nd, 2007 I received a phone call from my Dad. He couldn't even get the words out. I was at work and said I was leaving and would meet them at the vets. I was there from the beginning and I had to be there at the end. I needed Jag to know that I would take him full circle, that even in his difficult journey, we would walk him across his rainbow bridge. My Dad sat on the floor with Jag's head in his lap. We lost a very dear friend that day. My german shepherd Mick lost his best friend that day too - he still wanders Mom and Dad's house looking for him....and so do we.
Today was the first day that I went to Mom & Dads since Jag's passing. I walked in and cried. I didn't like it there. It's just not the same.
I will miss him with all my heart!
Run freely on rainbow bridges my dear friend for you will never be caged again!
Forever in my heart.
Lisa