FAREWELL JASPER AND PERCY

 Ida and Jim lost both their boys last week, on the same day.  Jasper had been with their family for a long time.   Percy was a rescue, in July of 2016. 

 Ida wrote a farewell, which I will share here.  It shows the tremendous love and care they gave them both.

 "With unbelievable sadness, I wanted to share with you the passing of our beloved Jasper and Percy. 

 Jasper who was 12 years old was the sweetest boy ever. The last piece of our children’s childhood love and Jim’s sidekick. 

 He was loved and cherished his entire life.

 He came from such a great family of Cockers! Both Diana and Carol have remained lifelong friends and the go to for everything Cocker!

 We are blessed they entrusted us with their love and included us in their family. 

 Jasper was a foodie. 

 If there was anything sitting around he found it.

 He might be standing on the kitchen table, or sitting in a chair at Thanksgiving with great manners and trying hard not to be spotted.

 He loved squeaky toys and his favorite raccoon.

 On walks, Jasper would bark loudly at all incoming dogs and taught the Pekes how to throw themselves at the front door and chase the neighbors’ dogs up and down our fenced-in yard. I never claimed to be the best disciplinarian! 

 We just loved them like crazy! Jasper use to love to lay in the sunroom with his head out the doggy door until the Pekes came into our lives and the hawks took interest in them. 

 Jasper was a fabulous ambassador to all the little rescues who came in our door for a minute, a day and for those who stayed. The kindest boy in the entire world.  

 He loved both Jamie’s Taz the Peke and Allyson’s Faolan the husky! He was best buddies with Percy and they laid together on the couch daily. He even tolerated little Allie Marie the only girl and alpha in the family. She was fierce and he was her gentle giant. Jasper only had two ear infections in his life. Both times they turned into mrsp. The first time, we had his tube surgically removed. He was younger and healthy. As a result, he developed dementia. 

 Two months ago he had an ear infection in his remaining ear. It also turned into mrsp. We tried every drug available and worked hard to save him, but his body just couldn’t tolerate the medications any longer and he was suffering. We loved him so much that we let him run free with his best friend Percy by his side.

 Dear precious Percy was my dog! He loved me and trusted me like no other dog I have ever brought home.

 I picked Percy up from a shelter in Maryland for our rescue. He had a great foster home lined up. 

 When they placed him in my arms I knew he was a hot mess and needed evaluated immediately.

 I was new at rescue so I placed him in the car, contacted the rescue for permission and headed straight to my fabulous vet.

 Percy had been neutered and not taken care of properly. He also had an eye injury. Percy came home with us to heal. He was a tough boy to work with. 

 Jim and I wore gloves for the first two weeks. Then he decided that we were tolerable so I kept him as a foster at first. 

 After a short while, we knew it wouldn’t be in his best interest to adopt him out. He became my sidekick and that is when I changed his name to Percy. 

 He loved his name and he spent the rest of his life snuggled into Jim’s old bathrobe as his bed. 

 Throughout the last 2.5 years we added mats under that bathrobe slowly. Percy never sat on anything soft. He didn’t know how.  He loved nuzzling on the Christmas skirt he so loved.  

 One day, he jumped on Jasper’s couch near me and that became his spot. He loved to perch like a bird! 

 If I woke up in the middle of the night, he was insistent to come with me. I could pick him up, kiss him all over, rub his belly and he trusted me.

 Percy was having multiple seizures despite his meds.

 It was difficult to get him to eat anything and he was losing muscle mass.

 He struggled to breathe from his heart pressing on his trachea.He still walked the woods with me.

 My heart breaks that he spent so many years not being loved and valued. I pray I made up for that. Percy loved it when I sang in his ear, “I love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around your neck!”   To me, he was a perfect boy and my best teacher of patience and gratitude.  That song, my voice to his ear and a gentle loving rocking was Percy’s last moment on earth. 

Thank you to my fabulous and supportive Vet Angela Bakanas for her amazing care for both our boys and Jennifer Custer for supporting us through this sad event!

I am grateful for my Dailey who supports my need and desire to work in rescue. He is incredibly kind and always sleeps with the new ones who pass through our home. If you see my Allyson and Jamie hug them please. Jasper was their last piece to their childhood! To my sister Blanche and my two amigos Fran and Liz, thank you for your kindness and support. To Jamie, thank you for leaving Taz here to help Allie Marie through the loneliness. Both Taz and the BeBe are still looking throughout the house for their buddies. To Linda, thank you for giving me time and staying in touch. Your words and deeds are comforting. I don’t know how you do it over and over again. It is going to take more than a minute, or two, or three for me and my Dailey!"

 

RUN FREE, SWEET PRECIOUS BOYS.  💙💙