Safe in the Arms of Love

Barely hanging in there and refusing to trust anyone, Sundae along with the other two dogs, and an additional passenger, were loaded into crates and put in a vehicle headed for Denver. I can only imagine what she was thinking being loaded into another crate in another vehicle. This trip, although 10 hours in length, would be the easiest for her. She had very few transfers along the way and had her own crate to travel in. Once Sundae arrived in Denver she and the others would stay with a wonderful woman until they could be transported to South East Wyoming. Transport remained on schedule and the ride was an easy one.

A worn out Sundae arrived in Denver and was whisked away to rest for the night. She started to relax a bit when she realized she was in a home, not a boarding facility. She was cuddled, fed, and loved upon. Sundae quickly became a favorite of her temporary fosters, as her skin and bones body tugged at their heartstrings. Her overnight stay came to an end quickly though and she was loaded back into a crate for her drive to Wyoming. At least this was the shortest and last part of her long journey.

As I pulled up to our meeting spot I was filled with anxious energy. I had been waiting for over a month to meet this girl that had to be saved. I had no idea just how bad of a condition poor Sundae was in, and my heart broke when I saw her. The bones protruding, her coat dull and breaking off with every touch made my heart ache. Then I heard for myself the cough I had been told she had. It was worse than I had believed. The four dogs were loaded into my vehicle and immediately taken through the drive through at McDonald's. Each dog shared a plain cheeseburger and then settled in for the drive home. Sundae wolfed down her cheeseburger so quickly I wondered if she had ever gotten a special treat like that in her life. All the dogs, but especially Sundae needed to know they were safe now and could trust me.

Once home the dogs were given their own beds, and fresh bowls of food and water, and allowed to relax and take in the new surroundings. Sundae was given a special quiet area in the bedroom where she could rest and hopefully heal, away from the noises of the other dogs and the TV. Sundae was frightened of everything and wanted nothing to do with dry dog food or people. The first couple of nights were rough. She was not ready to trust, was easily frightened, and she had tremendous difficulty sleeping due to her illness. She struggled just to breath, and had no energy left for anything else. I feared this tiny little girl wouldn't survive to see the vet. Each minute was hard on her. She was emaciated and sick, and still unsure what her new life held for her. I sat up with her each night, talking softly, and petting her ever so gently, as touching her in certain areas made her yelp, in pain or in fear I still do not know. Together we weathered the long weekend, Sundae's body sick and dying, and me with tears running down my cheeks watching her suffering.