Gracie

  aka Kelsey

                   Page last updated on Saturday, March 31, 2007 .

      

Dear OBG,

I was just getting ready to contact Kelsey's foster mom as I got some pictures back and thought I would send a couple, but wasn't sure who to send them to. Then, ironically, I received your welcome letter!

I did find this puppy on the Internet through the Petfinder site. She is the answer to many prayers. We lost a wonderful dog (which I adopted from our local shelter in 1989), from a liver tumor last November, we had the surgery at Va. Tech, she went into renal failure and we lost her that evening. Lacey was a golden retriever/cocker mix and the MOST wonderful dog. We all grieved horribly for her. I began searching for something to fill the huge void she'd left. I visited numerous shelters, which ripped my heart out with sadness at seeing the number of abused, neglected and thrown away dogs out there. I could have taken numerous ones home but I still have two dogs at home and can only handle so many. So I was searching for that right one, who I would know when I saw her. I visited cock-a-poo breeders etc. ... but couldn't justify "buying" a dog with all those wonderful homeless souls out t! here looking for someone to love.

I just never found her and was growing weary looking. So in February I was at the local shelter and came across a sweet 9 yr old "lusky-pooter" (lab/husky/poodle/terrier), I know this as I have had contact with the former owner who dumped him, after 9 years(!) because he kept running away. I thought this would be a nice thing to do and he took some re-educating but he's doing well now, though very serious, not real playful but dear.

I tried not to look anymore but still had this emptiness and hope that she was out there. We received a copy of the story of Rainbow Bridge, which is on the mantle with Lacey's ashes (which will be buried with my mother, at her request, when the time comes). I kept thinking about Lacey up there, waiting.

One day in May, a lady called me about a litter of cock-a-poos which she had and would hold a femaIe for me as well as not dock her tail (I wanted a long tail as they are so expressive and God made them that way). I thanked her and said I had gotten "Munchkin" from the shelter and was all set.

Well, inside I must not have felt all set and that afternoon I went to Petfinder and clicked on cocker and many of the same ones were there, who were wonderful but many couldn't be with cats (which we have 7 of) and many were older. I now had two 9 yr old males, (the other a spitz mix, Skippy, dumped on our road 9 years ago) and a 2yr old female border collie mix, Phoebe, (adopted as a pup from the shelter when I was looking for a yellow cat). So I wanted a younger female to play with her. I scrolled down the page and at the bottom was a new listing, which said "puppies", and as I looked to the left I read "Golden Retriever/Cocker"! I practically stopped breathing! I clicked the photo with my eyes shut, only to open them and almost faint! I read the story, immediately emailed OBG and then called and left a message. Had no response by phone but got an email, found out ! the puppies were only 1+ hours from me and contacted the foster Mom, who said I could come see them before they went to the adoption day at Petco. I had plans for the evening with a former neighbor (who was visiting from NC), when I told her the situation, she said she would drive! The irony here is that she was with me in 1989 when we found Lacey! I also used to live 20 minutes from where they were so I knew the area!

We got out of the car with our hearts in our throats, and there in the back yard were the little cherubs! I then had the task of choosing from 3! THAT was hard, at first, ... until she finally looked at me and my choice was made, they were all excited about being outside so it was hard to get their attention. In the car, she laid in my lap for a while, then sat up, turned around and looked into my soul with the most incredible familiarity. My eyes filled up and I said, "where have you been"? She then stood up and kissed my chin.

When I got home I went into my folk's house and Mom asked, where we had been, I replied, "Rainbow Bridge", ... and put the puppy in her arms. Shortly, my Father came into the room and looked and said, "oh, my soul". We think Lacey had a big part in bringing this angel to us, it was just all too incredible, she could've been anywhere in the country, but she was right here. She has fit in beautifully and acts like she's been here forever.

She loves farm life, runs up and down the sawdust pile, carries everything around, loves the barn and thinks the cats are really fun to sit on and snuggle with (they've figured out she's not trying to kill them!) My hope of a playmate for Phoebe is more than fulfilled, sometimes I even have to call "time out"! She's gotten two more shots and has gone from 8.6 to 15.6 Ibs!! She's a precious angel and sleeps on my bed with me, hogging most of the pillows! She's so smart, has gone to numerous horse events with me and has never barked or misbehaved. ! Everyone goes nuts for her as she struts around in her little harness.

I have included a couple of photos you can use on your site. I love the one with the goose, but I must sadly report that the goose is now handicapped ... losing his legs in the line of duty! Those tug-of-wars are tough! The one with Phoebe is how they usually are unless wrestling! Her name, Kelsey, was nice -- but we all kept calling her Lacey by mistake, so I changed it to "Gracie", which is Graceless when she tumbles in the yard and Good Gracious on many other occasions!                  

Thank you so much for allowing her to be a part our family, she fits like a glove and adds so much joy and love! We adore her! This was definitely meant to be.

Best regards,

Ms. Carter B.
Ruckersville, VA

PS.: I hear an associate of mine is working on adopting Gracie's brother, Cody!

    

                    

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