Bonnie was very patient when I gave her a thorough bath and trimmed her all over. I’ll give her a real grooming once I get my grooming supplies fully replaced in a few days. I’m so proud of her for easily navigating up the staircase despite being vision impaired and getting a little more confident in coming down the stairs. Ironically she climbs the little hill in the backyard and back down without hesitation, but the carpeted stairs give her pause.
Happy to be fostering a vision-impaired dog, Bonnie, who was in the HSNB shelter for about a year. Those who know me know I have a soft spot for blind dogs like the two I recently lost among the five that tragic day. Bonnie seems to have accepted me into her fold and her love of other dogs will hopefully soon be reciprocated by Snoopy, who is clear on his boundaries, but who is also more than tolerating her!
Westpointe is the area of the Glen Cove neighborhood my rental is in. Glen Cove is a neighborhood in Vallejo, California, of course. My house under renovation is also in Glen Cove.
What would I have done without Snoopy?
A foster home was secured for this little lovebug brindle Frenchie with the blue-green eyes. I named her Freckles. There was no microchip (until the one put in today) nor identifying collar. The collar she had on was getting too tight anyway, as she’s still growing. I’m sure she will get great care, a consistent diet, and be highly sought after. I fear she was stolen from someone and may have been rejected for breeding due to her deformed ear, but who knows? I’m glad I got to spend a few days with her until I was able to put her cute little pudgy body into the safe arms of a staff member at HSNB. She gives great kisses and will hopefully have a very long life. I’m just glad she’s not in the street and at risk of getting harmed anymore. She’s such a tender puppy and trusts everyone. In some of these pictures, you can see her on the backyard “hillside” behind Snoopy and me.
Front page Vallejo Times Herald article today mentioned the five souls I lost in the fire and the pet grieving events I was already actively trying to facilitate with Kathryn D. Marocchino and Carlene Coury. Hopefully this will trigger more donations in their memory in the link listed at the bottom of the article. I do like knowing that their memory will help other cats and dogs find homes and have better lives.
Apparently I’m not the only one in the world to be out of the home and lose FIVE animals to a fire, as unfathomable as the thought is to have lived through. I’ve started reading this book recommended by pet grieving expert Kathryn of the Nikki Hospice Foundation who happens to be a lovely neighbor I adore and who even speaks Italian with me. Some of you know that I was working with Carlene and Kathryn and others about the periodic pet grieving gatherings that we could facilitate, particularly in association with the Humane Society of the North Bay, but I never dreamed I would soon be the “poster child” for such things.
Here is Snoopy on my garden furniture brought to the rental during a spot of sun we had today. I had to make room for the cleanup and renovation crews at the damaged house a few minutes away. Today makes a month since the fire and I’m counting the days until I can go home.
I was touched at the paw prints for each of them. I’m still not sleeping all night, despite the comfortable surroundings.
