Craig and I weren't able to adopt a dog until we had come back to Louisiana in 1999 due to the animal zoning laws in Pennsylvania. We had maxed out the animal limit with cats and kittens, plus our yard was just too tiny for a dog there in Catasauqua.
The first couple of years, once we were back home, was to TNR over 250 feral kittens and cats in our immediate neighborhood. We tamed many kittens and found caring homes for them. However, Craig was getting antsy to share his life with a canine companion. We began our search in earnest late fall of 2002.
The weekend after Thanksgiving, we saw a beautiful golden retriever advertised via PetFinder by a local dog rescuer. We fell in love with her picture. She was such a lovely, lovely dog.
When we rang the door bell of the rescuer, we could hear the lively bark of a dog. Though Sherry had told us that she had 16 dogs at the time, only this one was barking. She said this little dog was her greeter as she laughingly introduced us, the little girl running in happy, mad circles at our feet, tossing her head excitedly like a young frisky colt.
We were deeply touched by this little dog's brief rescue story. Sherry let us see each and every one of the 16 dogs, telling us their stories as we met each. Four had been too traumatized to ever be adopted out; 12 were up for adoption, including Kasey, the golden retriever; Penny, a precious beagle whom we later went back to adopt; and the little greeter.
Lastly we met Kasey. She shyly went up to me and I barely was able to touch her gorgeous head before she caught sight of Craig. She immediately began a shrill, heart-rending bark, pulling and lunging on the lead away from Sherry. Sherry believed that Kasey had a deeply rooted fear of men. That's one reason she held back on introducing us to her right away - she also was keenly observing Craig to see how he reacted to each of her precious rescue dogs.
Needless to say, we were heartbroken. We knew in our heart of hearts that even if Sherry had been willing to experiment with Kasey (and she wasn't), Kasey's obvious fear of men was too, too deep to be overcome and would probably cause even more trauma that would be irreversible. Sherry told us that there hadn't been a single male since Kasey's rescue that wasn't received in the same heartbreaking manner by Kasey as Craig was.
I was so very impressed with Sherry. She was truly the most blessed thing that those dogs had ever seen and that was immediately apparent on how they seemed to dote on every movement and word she said in their presence. And what impressed me the most was that she wasn't going to let us take a dog just because we wanted him or her. In my book, that spoke volumes. She truly has the very best interest of her rescuees at heart.
I knew Craig really, really wanted Kasey and was deeply disappointed at her reaction to him, so I was literally shocked when he said he wanted to visit with the little greeter again. I said the first thing that popped into my mind, "But Craig, she has to be groomed very 6 weeks!" He replied, "I know, but she's just a little doll."
So Sherry brought her back to us and went into more detail about her rescue.
The little dog was born August 16, 2000 and adopted at the age of 6 weeks by an elderly gentleman who named her Princess. Prin was a Cockapoo - which is
half Cocker Spaniel and half Poodle - sometimes called the dingy name of Spoodle instead of Cockapoo. (Much to my chagrin, there are currently three Cockapoo
clubs in the States that are working towards developing the Cockapoo by breeding successive generations, and establishing the Cockapoo as a recognized breed.
) Prin was lavishly loved until a late spring day when her caregiver passed away. That very day,
the wife pitched her into the backyard. She was forbidden to come back indoors.
Both Cockers and Poodles are indoor dogs. They cannot stand much heat, especially the high temps of the Deep South, and are susceptible to respitory and skin allergies. But Prin's woes were just beginning. She was bitten on the right foreleg by a spider shortly after being banished to the outdoors.
After weeks of infection, the wife finally took her to an emergency vet who told her that Prin was in a very serious condition. He drained the abcess, bandaged the wound, and gave her antibiotics to be applied twice daily. The bandage was to be removed that evening when the antibiotics were to be started.
Back into the backyard she went. Three months later, the vile woman scooped her up and hauled her to Animal Control stating that if they could save her adopt her out, but that she didn't want this darling little dog.
The then animal control vet, who was also a good friend of Sherry's, was horrified at the condition of Princess and pulled Prin's history from this piece of human garbage. The bandage the ER vet had placed on her months before was still in place, though chewed on and filthy. The bandage had to be surgically removed in a number of places. Gangrene had set in and already eaten its way down to the bone. The vet was certain of amputation.
She called Sherry who immediately dropped what she was doing to rush down and see Princess. She told the vet that she would pay for all the medical and hospitalization bills, but to do whatever she had to do to save Prin's leg. The vet could offer no promises due to the death of cells and tissue in the leg.
Prin was hospitalized for nearly 3 months. Slowly the leg began to heal, surprising the vet who was all but positive that she would have to amputate. Finally the day came that she could go home to Sherry. She nicknamed her Boo-Boo.
In the meantime, Prin was passed over time and again for adoption. Craig and I couldn't get over how anyone wouldn't look twice at this happy, life-loving little 18 pound dog.
Sherry is very thorough in her adoption screening. The week after we'd signed the paperwork, Sherry called to let us know that she'd done the background check and would like to set up a home visit. We were thrilled. She let us know that she'd checked our employment, our banking establishment, and our local and Pennsylvania vets had spoken extremely highly of us. We figured on getting Prin the week of Christmas and were barely able to get through each day.
I couldn't get home fast enough the day of the home visit. It was pouring down rain and I was so worried that Sherry would cancel. Ten minutes after the time that Sherry said she'd be at our home, the phone rang. We didn't want to pick up the phone, fearing Sherry couldn't make it. No, she was en route, but traffic and weather was bad. I could have sworn that I heard a dog bark once.
She arrived at 7:15, an hour and 15 minutes later than the appointment. We are standing by the gate and she asked if she could pull into the carport because she had decided that Prin could come home! It was December 12, 2002. We were so thrilled, but then it dawned on me that she had crate trained Princess and that we had no crate yet. We had bought food, dishes, treats, toys, grooming tools, doggie bed and blankets, heartworm and flea preventives, but not a dog crate.
No problem. She started pulling out boxes and bags and a medium sized crate - part of the adoption package, she said. And some adoption package - 20 pounds of dry food, bags of Greenies, biscuits, bones, and chews, a large shopping bag full of toys, a doggie bed, 3 doggie blankets, 2 food dishes, a water bowl, a water and food bowl to attach to the crate, a deluxe bumper pad for her crate, a year's supply each of Interceptor and Frontline, a doggie Christmas stocking filled with even more toys and treats, three collars with matching leads with Princess embroidered on them, several doggie sweaters, shampoo, cologne, doggie nail clippers, 2 doggie brushes ... I can't recall what else - there was just so much!
Sherry took the lead off Prin and I let Craig greet her first. This is their first meeting within our home. She fell in love with him immediately because she dearly loved ear and neck scritches:
Princess was the only name she'd ever known in her short, tragic life, so we kept it. Here she is also on her adoption night after Sherry had left and Prin settled right into our household:
Di (wagsouth) took this same picture and made Prin's first Christmas gift to us:
She also made several Princess blinkies:
Princess loved cooler weather so that she could dress up in one of her many, many sweaters:
How that little girl loved her Daddy. Next to him, her next love was Greenies, then Penny whom we had adopted in March of the following year (Prin and Penny
got along wonderfully at Sherry's and Penny had slipped into a slight depression after Prin came home to us, so we had to bring Penny
home, too.).
She loved kittens and cats. Prin accepted every kitten and cat we brought in. She oftentimes gave up her crate for new arrivals, never complaining. Of course,
she didn't mind sleeping in our bed when her crate was used for kitty housing, either. 
When I dragged home Puglena, she took her in stride, too. She never met a stranger, animal or human.
Her favorite seat in the entire house was her Daddy's recliner. She would readily give it up for ear combings, though. She would just melt into the
brush and comb. Somewhere way down the line, I come into Prin's affections. 
I'd often
tease Craig that she loved me only because I fed, bathed, and groomed her when he wasn't around.
She loved to be clean, though she would hit every mudhole and body of water around. She'd jump into ditches of water, ponds, lakes, swimming pools, even
hot tubs. On the other paw, how she would preen and prance after coming home from the groomer's.
For the past two winters, Prin's right foreleg which had been so gangreneous was beginning to bother her. At the last vet trip shortly after a cool snap,
she was diagnosed with arthritis. In the meantime, the weather here has been in the 70s and 80s. She was to start her arthritic meds the next time cooler
weather came, expected to move in tonight. He wanted to get the drug into her system before she developed pain and limping.
I'd been very ill for about 3 weeks beginning the last weekend of October. Craig was working and trying to keep all our many cats and dogs fed and clean
while I was down. On Monday, November 12, 2007 he jumped in the truck to head for work. Thinking he had the inside dogs in their crates, he started backing
down our long driveway. Out of nowhere Princess came and darted beneath the truck. She had NEVER attempted to run toward the truck before. It was too late for
an emergency run to the vet. She took her last breath in his arms. My Craig is totally devastated. This tragic incident has broken his heart.
He buried her beneath our old pin oak where our ferals RedBoy, Samson, and baby ferals Skeeter and Rebel rest. This is the same tree that she'd chase and tree squirrels. She would lay there in wait for hours on pretty days, thinking they would eventually come down the same way they went up, never realizing they'd long ago scampered from its treetop to another. Shoot, they were probably already back into the woods beyond our house. But no matter to Prin; she was on a quest - to catch a squirrel who would forever outrun her.
We say this about every animal we've ever lost, but there will never be another pet like Princess. She had such a strong, distinct and unique little personality. Always happy and adventurous. Always our beloved little princess - so true to her name.
We love you and miss you so very much, sweet little girl. Our hearts have huge holes torn within them, but know you were so cherished and loved. All we have left are our happy, happy memories shared with you. Wait for us at the Bridge where you will greet us with such sweet and joyful abandon as you did here. We'll soon join you and all our Bridge Babies.
Precious, Precious Princess
August 16, 2000 - November 12, 2007
& Callie
