In Memory Of Bailey (Beagle)

Bailey is 14 years old and a purebred Beagle. We found Bailey at the Humane Society in Seneca County. My husband and I were going there to volunteer and walk some dogs. I preferred large dogs and my husband liked the smaller dogs.

He found Bailey, a purebred Beagle. They said she had puppies, and all her puppies had just been adopted out. She looked like she was starving her self. Her skin was draped over her small body. We could she her ribs and hip bones protruding under her skin. The littlest noise would scare her, she had no spark in her eyes. She looked like she was waiting to die and they told us she had been rescued from a puppy mill and was abused by men. They guessed her at 5 years old. We couldn't stand by, watching her die, our hearts ached for her and everything she went through. She wasn't a active dog. She enjoyed just being held and petted and loved on. We adopted Bailey along with another young dog that was next to her at the shelter. She is a Rat Terrier/Chiwauwau mix named Dolly.

After a lot of T.L.C. Bailey started putting on a little weight. She got a spark back in her eyes that told us she was happy, perhaps the first time in her life. At feeding time, she started doing, what we called, the Snoopy dance. She'd jump up and down on her back legs just like Snoopy on the cartoons would do. Now she always looked like she was smiling. Her eyes light up, have that spark in them. She brighten up our lives.

The vet said she was most likely closer to 9 years old, than 5, according to her x-rays he did after we took her in for what turned out to be muscle spasm in the back.

God let her be in our lives for only 5 years. The doctor diagnosed liver cancer. We made her as corfortable as possible. She died naturally, in our arms, as she breathed her last breath. She will always be in our hearts.

By V.Toby from OHIO