Ernie’s story illustrates the healing effect animals can have on humans.
For folks, who are infirmed, knowing there is another heart beating under their roofs is a great comfort. It can do wonders to keep the human spirit up and break the cycle of isolation many house bound people experience.
Hi. My name is Ernie and I am a five year old girl. Oh, I know you thought I was a boy. Well, my real name is Ernestine, but my mom calls me Ernie. She isn’t my birth mother, because I was adopted. She found me at an animal shelter when I was two. I guess I should mention, I am a dog….a terrier mix, to be exact.
Mom rescued me three years ago from a shelter, where if animals didn’t get adopted within a week of arrival, they were euthanized. I was lucky. Mom saw me the first day I arrived; and once the shelter deemed I wasn’t a threat to society, and after waiting several days to be claimed by my former owners– who never came for me, Mom made sure no one else would take me home (You see I am really cute—so cute that the people who work at the shelter named me Precious). So, soon as I became adoptable, Mom was first in line to fill out the papers and adopt me. This was on a Saturday and Mom was told to pick me up from the vet at Animal Samaritans on Monday, after I was spayed and micro-chipped.
The first two days in my new home were rough….especially when Mom went out without me. You see, I was just getting used to my new home, recovering from my medical procedures and feeling out of sorts. But that didn’t stop me from leaping over the baby gate Mom installed. Mom thought it would be best to keep me in the kitchen, when she was not home to keep an eye on me. I was determined to get out and find her, even if it meant ripping a few of my stitches.
You see, I did not like staying home by myself. I guess you could say I had issues with separation. I wanted to be with my new mom all the time, which is why I followed her around the house like a little puppy dog, even though I was two years old, (which is fourteen in people years). I tried manipulating her into taking me along whenever she went out, no matter where she had to go. One time, she even took me with her to the dentist’s office. That was the time I jumped up, while she was in the dentist’s reclining chair, having her teeth cleaned. I just wanted to rest on her tummy and make her feel better.
Actually Mom really liked taking me to all sorts of places with her. She snuck me into the movie theater to see films about dogs. She took me shopping and people would stop and pet me. She took me to the hairdresser, when she went to get her hair cut. She even took me along for her manicures. The shop owners didn’t mind and the other customers liked having me around. I could tell Mom was proud of me. I must admit I was well behaved, and you can plainly see I didn’t want to blow it. But I must admit I had a hard time not jumping on all of my admirers. You see, I am a people pooch. Don’t want to brag, but I stole the show.
One day I noticed Mom just seemed to stay in bed most of the time…like she was really exhausted and couldn’t move. I wondered what was wrong. She stopped playing with me. She didn’t even seem to want to take me out for walks, which was so unlike her. So I just stayed at her side and only left her bed, when I had to go out the doggie door, to do my business.
A few weeks later, she started looking funny. I think she had a bad day at the groomer’s. Her hair was coming out in big clumps, ‘til suddenly it was all gone. She started wearing these things on her head called “wigs.” Some were yellow, some reddish brown, and some orange. I never knew what she was going to look like. I wasn’t sure who she was anymore. But I always recognized her gentle touch, hugs, and kisses.
I started missing some of the things we used to do, like going to the dog park, having play dates with other dogs, shopping together, and running around on the golf course. But I knew things would change and we would have our fun again, In the meantime, I would lay next to her and stay close by, because I could tell my being there made her feel better. I sensed she was more comfortable with having me around, even if she had to drag herself out of bed to make sure I always got my meals and had water. I promised myself I would protect her, just as she protected me from being on death row at the animal shelter.
You see, we rescued each other.
Comments are closed.