| C.A.U.S.E. For P.A.W.S. , Inc. P. O. Box 22 Waynesboro Tn. 38485 931-722-3077 |
| In Ever Loving Memory of a Dear Friend and Companion Blazer September 9th ,1999 - September 2nd,2007 |
We came to know Blaze shortly after his 4th birthday in 2003. He was brought in to Shoal Creek Animal
Hospital by the Lawrence County Sheriff's Dept. Blaze was rescued from severe neglect.
The first four yrs. of his life, Blaze as well as a Great Pyranese were tied by six foot chains only a few
inches from each others reach, never having been provided any shelter. His owner moved and left them
tied never to return with food, water or shelter from the elements
When we took this sweet fella in he was 68Lbs, suffered from dehydration, severe mange and to top it all,
though he showed no clinical signs of it, tested positive for heart worm. We had him undergo heart worm
treatments, he was dipped for mange and he was slowly gaining some weight. His hair grew back he was
growing stronger and he grew to 72 Lbs when we took him home. Blaze was very happy to be alive. He got
along great with other dogs, children, and cats. Due to his size,
careful consideration was taken, for a home with children under 5 yrs
of age. This gentle soul was available for adoption for 2yrs. Blaze was
adopted as a service dog. Though he would have been great at his job ,
it turned out there was an aggression problem. The adopter was training
other service dogs, Blaze wanted them to know he was the alpha and
was protecting his new owner from them. Unfortunately the adoption
did not work out and he came back to us where he got along with all dogs large and
small. Since there was the possibility of aggression toward other dogs we felt it
would be better that he were placed in a home with no other dogs, not only for his safety, but for everyone
within the household. Blaze, however was still the most lovable toward people. He continued to gain
weight and grew to 132 pounds. He became BIG &VERY CUDDLY always following close behind, ready
to give you attention when you want it.!!! He was a dry mouth but when he drank water he did drool some.
He couldn't stand for his face being wet, if I was in close proximity I had better be prepared. Every time,
he would come over and throw his head back to wipe his jowls on my shirt. You had to love him.
We had Blaze for another year when some one else took an interest in
him. He was so protective of me that the family sat down and we
discussed his future. We decided to keep him as a permanent member of
our family. As he got older he spent the coldest winter days and the
hottest summer days in our home but when weather permitted he was
out doors. 2007 was the worst heat wave and we were without air con-
ditioning It was taking its toll on Blaze. It was hotter indoors than
out. He was almost 8 yrs old, and the heat was unbearable for him. We were given
an air conditioner and brought him inside where he only went out to take care of his needs. Blaze had lost
quite a bit of weight and we wanted to feed him extra. I decided rather than feeding him the regular daily
amount I would feed him a little bit more in smaller portions. On September 2nd, 2007, 7 days before his
8th birthday, Blaze was not acting his normal self when we took him out. He was in obvious discomfort
and he threw up. I believed Blaze was suffering from a twisted gut and I called the vet. I left a message for
the Dr. to return my call but I decided that I would leave immediately so that should he call I would
already be on my way. Blaze collapsed in the clinic, the vet confirmed our suspicions and we had to put
our wonderful big cuddly furboy to sleep. You will no longer be a physical part of our lives Blaze, but you
will be forever in our hearts, and memories. You were a wonderful and loyal companion.
Hospital by the Lawrence County Sheriff's Dept. Blaze was rescued from severe neglect.
The first four yrs. of his life, Blaze as well as a Great Pyranese were tied by six foot chains only a few
inches from each others reach, never having been provided any shelter. His owner moved and left them
tied never to return with food, water or shelter from the elements
When we took this sweet fella in he was 68Lbs, suffered from dehydration, severe mange and to top it all,
though he showed no clinical signs of it, tested positive for heart worm. We had him undergo heart worm
treatments, he was dipped for mange and he was slowly gaining some weight. His hair grew back he was
growing stronger and he grew to 72 Lbs when we took him home. Blaze was very happy to be alive. He got
along great with other dogs, children, and cats. Due to his size,
careful consideration was taken, for a home with children under 5 yrs
of age. This gentle soul was available for adoption for 2yrs. Blaze was
adopted as a service dog. Though he would have been great at his job ,
it turned out there was an aggression problem. The adopter was training
other service dogs, Blaze wanted them to know he was the alpha and
was protecting his new owner from them. Unfortunately the adoption
did not work out and he came back to us where he got along with all dogs large and
small. Since there was the possibility of aggression toward other dogs we felt it
would be better that he were placed in a home with no other dogs, not only for his safety, but for everyone
within the household. Blaze, however was still the most lovable toward people. He continued to gain
weight and grew to 132 pounds. He became BIG &VERY CUDDLY always following close behind, ready
to give you attention when you want it.!!! He was a dry mouth but when he drank water he did drool some.
He couldn't stand for his face being wet, if I was in close proximity I had better be prepared. Every time,
he would come over and throw his head back to wipe his jowls on my shirt. You had to love him.
We had Blaze for another year when some one else took an interest in
him. He was so protective of me that the family sat down and we
discussed his future. We decided to keep him as a permanent member of
our family. As he got older he spent the coldest winter days and the
hottest summer days in our home but when weather permitted he was
out doors. 2007 was the worst heat wave and we were without air con-
ditioning It was taking its toll on Blaze. It was hotter indoors than
out. He was almost 8 yrs old, and the heat was unbearable for him. We were given
an air conditioner and brought him inside where he only went out to take care of his needs. Blaze had lost
quite a bit of weight and we wanted to feed him extra. I decided rather than feeding him the regular daily
amount I would feed him a little bit more in smaller portions. On September 2nd, 2007, 7 days before his
8th birthday, Blaze was not acting his normal self when we took him out. He was in obvious discomfort
and he threw up. I believed Blaze was suffering from a twisted gut and I called the vet. I left a message for
the Dr. to return my call but I decided that I would leave immediately so that should he call I would
already be on my way. Blaze collapsed in the clinic, the vet confirmed our suspicions and we had to put
our wonderful big cuddly furboy to sleep. You will no longer be a physical part of our lives Blaze, but you
will be forever in our hearts, and memories. You were a wonderful and loyal companion.
When you bring a pet into your life, you begin a journey - a journey that will bring you more love and devotion than you have ever known, yet also test your strength and courage. If you allow, the journey will teach you many things, about life, about yourself, and most of all, about love. You will come away changed forever, for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its mark. Along the way, you will learn much about savoring life's simple pleasures jumping in leaves, snoozing in the sun, the joys of puddles, and even the satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears. If you spend much time outside, you will be taught how to truly experience every element, for no rock, leaf, or log will go unexamined, no rustling bush will be overlooked, and even the very air will be inhaled, pondered, and noted as being full of valuable information. Your pace may be slower - except when heading home to the food dish but you will become a better naturalist, having been taught by an expert in the field. Too many times we hike on automatic pilot, our goal being to complete the trail rather than enjoy the journey. We miss the details - the colorful mushrooms on the rotting log, the honeycomb in the old maple snag, the hawk feather caught on a twig. Once we walk as a dog does, we discover a whole new world. We stop; we browse the land- scape, we kick over leaves, peek in tree holes, look up, down, all around. And we learn what any dog knows: that nature has created a marvelously complex world that is full of surprises, that each cycle of the seasons bring ever changing wonders, each day an essence all its own. Even from indoors you will find yourself more attuned to the world around you. You will find yourself watching summer insects collecting on a screen.(How bizarre they are! How many kinds there are!), or noting the flick and flash of fireflies through the dark. You will stop to observe the swirling dance of windblown leaves, or sniff the air after a rain. It does not matter that there is no objective in this; the point is in the doing, in not letting life's most important details slip by you. You will find yourself doing silly things that your pet-less friends might not understand: spending thirty minutes in the grocery aisle looking for the cat food brand your feline must have, buying dog birthday treats, or driving around the block an extra time because your pet enjoys the ride. You will roll in the snow, wrestle with chewie toys, bounce little rubber balls till your eyes cross, and even run around the house trailing your bathrobe tie with a cat in hot pursuit - all in the name of love. Your house will become muddier and hairier. You will wear less dark clothing and buy more lint rollers. You may find dog biscuits in your pocket or purse, and feel the need to explain that an old plastic shopping bag adorns your living room rug because your cat loves the crinkly sound. You will learn the true measure of love, the steadfast, undying kind that says, "It doesn't matter where we are or what we do, or how life treats us as long as we are together." Respect this always. It is the most precious gift any living soul can give another. You will not find it often among the human race. And you will learn humility. The look in my dog's eyes often made me feel ashamed. Such joy and love at my presence. She saw not some flawed human who could be cross and stubborn, moody or rude, but only her wonderful companion. Or maybe she saw those things and dismissed them as mere human foibles, not worth considering, and so chose to love me anyway. If you pay attention and learn well, when the journey is done, you will be not just a better person, but the person your pet always knew you to be - the one they were proud to call beloved friend. I must caution you that this journey is not without pain. Like all paths of true love, the pain is part of loving. For as surely as the sun sets, one day your dear animal companion will follow a trail you cannot yet go down. And you will have to find the strength and love to let them go. A pet's time on earth is far too short especially for those that love them. We borrow them, really, just for awhile, and during these brief years they are generous enough to give us all their love, every inch of their spirit and heart, until one day there is nothing left. The cat that only yesterday was a kitten is all too soon old and frail and sleeping in the sun. The young pup of boundless energy wakes up stiff and lame, the muzzle now gray. Deep down we somehow always knew that this journey would end. We knew that if we gave our hearts they would be broken. But give them we must for it is all they ask in return. When the time comes, and the road curves ahead to a place we cannot see, we give one final gift and let them run on ahead young and whole once more. "Godspeed, good friend,"we say, until our journey comes full circle and our paths cross once again. |
| The Journey by Crystal Ward Kent |
