THE STORY OF A RESCUE -- GABRIEL

 As you know, I'm involved in Pekingese Rescue-- we save all kinds of Pekes, young, old, sick, healthy.  I've done this almost 15 years-- how can it be that long!?

 You don't always see their beginning because we don't always post those.  But, with the support of our friends, we are able to help so many.  Bridget above, is one of those. 

 I have a sweet friend in rescue named Elaine.  She does Pom rescue.  And she does a magnificent job.

 But, she has a soft spot for German Shepherds.  This is Guardian, a beautiful, stunning dog who was saved because of Elaine's efforts.  He is her boy now, and friend to the Poms at her home.  Elaine saw there was another Shepherd in a shelter.  She was able to get her and named her Gabriel.  She has a huge tumor on her stomach, and was so dehydrated and thin, they weren't sure she was going to make it.   Elaine wrote the following story, from Gabriel's perspective, the view of a dog who is being saved.  She said I could share it with you-- whether it's a German Shepherd or a Pekingese, they are important to save. 

 "How does it feel to be a rescue? Imagine if you were sick and got lost. You wander around, in pain from this growth hanging on your belly. Your breathing is difficult because you have heartworms. You get so thirsty, that you de-hydrate and you are so hungry that your body starts to burn off your muscle. After days in the cold, (or was it weeks?) you are picked up by a stranger. It is scary in the white truck. You are taken to jail. Even though they feed you and water you, it is jail and all that you know is that there are other dogs barking and afraid like you. One morning someone loops a noose around your neck and leads you out of your cell and hands you off to another stranger. She sits on the ground and feeds you treats and tells you that you are going to be OK, but you don't know her. What will she do to you? She leads you out into the sun and loads you in to a car. You smell other dogs in there. What happened to them? Where are we going? She stops at a place that smells like chicken. You don't look at her because good things have not happened to you when you looked at people's food.

 You don't understand when she starts breaking up the chicken and letting you have it.   Ummmm, so good! Maybe things are turning around? In a few minutes, the car is started and you dose off as the food warms your belly and the sound of the engine lulls you to sleep. You are awoken when the engines stops and you are let out of the car. After relieving yourself, (it has been so long!) you realize that there is real grass! You blink in the sun. Overwhelmed to touch the grass again, you flop down and rub your face in it. It smells good and the scratchiness is just right. Just when you start to relax you see a big sink and you notice that she is filling it with water. Oh no. She leads you to the sink and you see her bow her head and say something about God sending her angels as she cannot do this alone. The next thing you know, she has picked you up and you are sitting in a warm tub of water. It doesn't take long and all the dirt and stink is washed away. She even washed your growth with a medicated soap to help heal the soreness. After the bath and being toweled off, a scary thing that you have never seen- but she she calls a 'dryer' - is blowing you all over the place. You don't like it and it is loud! Finally, she gives up and lets you rest a few minutes on some thick, fluffy towels. 

 While you are resting you hear her on the phone to the vet's office, something about 'This is serious. We need to come ASAP'. You are once again lifted in to what she calls 'The Great Pumpkin'. It is warm in there as she turns up the heat, and again you drift off to sleep. When the engine stops this time, and you are led out of the ‘GP’, you just know this can’t be good. You hear dogs barking and it smells like antiseptic. Is this another jail? The human that brought you lays down a big towel on the floor for you to lay on. It feels good on your bony elbows and hips. You wonder, will they let you live or is this the end? She gets on the floor with you to wait and lifts your head and paws in to her lap. You start to feel something warm in the area of your heart. This can’t be so bad, when the hand that is scratching your ears feels so good. You drift off again.

 All that happens to you next- the needles poking you, the pokes in other areas, the laying on a table getting something they call ‘xrays’, are not fun, but the hands that do the work are gentle and swift. Everyone has called you a ‘good girl’ and even given you lots of petting. Then you wait some more on the floor in warm blankets, with the lady with your head in her lap. After a while you are led back out to the ‘GP’ thing and you find a cozy spot in back, but she turns and goes back in to the building. Where is she going now? Is she coming back? In a few minutes the door opens and this GIANT of a dog jumps up in to the back with you! Who is HE? He seems friendly. She calls him 'Guardian' as in angel. He turns away and sits in a spot at her right shoulder where he can help the lady drive. It is a relief to know that one of your own kind is now helping to navigate this orange thing. You stare at him. He looks a lot like you. His coloring and build are the same. He smells good and is healthy and strong. Confidence and love for the lady radiate from him. All this hints that all is well. You drift off to sleep again……. When you wake, you are back at the place where you had the bath. You hear lots of barking, but this time the barking are sounds of joy! They seem to be very happy that we are here. The big dog jumps out and you decide you had better follow him. He knows what he is about. You are not sure what going in a door is, but the lady unlocks one, and we all go through it. They don’t even push you out, but wait to make sure you are coming in! There are little, fluffy dogs everywhere! All are wagging and sniffing and loving on the lady and the big dog. As a pack, you go through the house and out the back door to a big yard. Surely you are safe now that you are with a healthy pack! Relief floods your mind. You begin to walk around and check things out. So many new friends! In a few minutes you are handed a huge plate of warm food. Oh Heaven! It is so good. 

 The lady makes a bed fit for a princess and tells you that this is where you will sleep tonight. It was dark when you got home, so you are so ready to go to bed. You hear the washing machine start. You hear the sounds of the dog tags jingling all around you as everybody settles in to their beds. The lights go off. Then silence. Blessed peace washes over you. You are not sure how all this is going to turn out, but you know in your bones that you are safe and going to be loved. Today started out in terror but ended in warmth and rest. Tomorrow will be even better. Then peaceful bliss…..by Elaine H. Harris  PomRescue.com 

There are stories like Gabriel's all the time-- too often in rescue.  But, with care and love, so many do great, and go on to live wonderful lives, short or long.  It's what we rescuers do-- and it's a privilege!