Revised July 4, 1997

E would like to think that at some point in Brandy's life, she had a loving home and family. She was an older lady when she came to us, missing her right eye, skinny, and scared. She had been dumped by her owner at a Maryland shelter. This person told the shelter to euthanize her, or whatever. She just didn't care. The staff considered the situation. She was old, missing an eye. No one would want her. They called us just to see.

We felt great compassion for Brandy, and we picked her up and brought her to our Rescue. Of course, no one wanted an old, one-eyed dog. It took a little time for her to stop shaking, but she finally did. It took even longer to get a kiss from her, but she finally gave one. We were so hoping to give this little sweetheart a home, where she could live out her final days with love and security. It was not to be.

Brandy had not been with us long when she started to bleed from her nose and mouth. She had been to the vet when we got her and, except for her missing eye and the fact that she was underweight, Brandy seemed fine. She could see well from her left eye. The bleeding continued. It was clear that Brandy had cancer, and it had been eating away at her long before we stepped in. She died before we could get her to the vet. She rests in the yard now. This was the best ending we could give a poor little soul like Brandy.

People owe their animals much more than Brandy got. They should stick by them, through good times and hard times. If the quality of life is significantly diminished, if the dog will not get better, and if she is suffering, we owe it to them to be there for them, even at the end. The last thing they see should be a face they love, or at least a face that cares. They should feel the gentle touch of kindness and compassion. They should not be thrown away just because they are old or because they have lost an eye.

Brandy's story haunts me to this day. A lot of people owed her far more than they gave. She deserved so much better from everyone.