Your Inspiring Pets

Maggie

Recently my dad had a stroke, and I took over his care. Rather than put him in a nursing home, I brought him to my home. Maggie stayed by his side, sleeping under his bed. When he became more than I could handle alone (my husband is also in a wheelchair), we went to my brother's house.

Maggie seemed to stay closer to my dad [more] than usual after we were there about a week. She slept in the bed with him, stood by his side when he was being fed, and lay in front of the bathroom door while I bathed him. On Sunday, September 23, 2007, I couldn't get Maggie to leave [my dad] long enough to go outside and use the bathroom. She didn't eat all day. My dad passed away at 3 a.m. on the 24th (Maggie knew). When the funeral home came for him, she wouldn't let [anyone] near him. She didn't growl at them, but she laid on my dad's chest and cried.

--Pam H.

Tammy

For many years after my divorce and separation from my dear children due to a nervous breakdown, I felt very lonely and very depressed. I wasn't always able to see my children, even though I had joint custody. I was miserable. I felt like a fish out of water, as I was so used to rearing my children.

One Christmas I visited my brother and his wife, who had five cats and two dogs. My brother's wife loved Tammy, a calico cat, but complained that she was very jealous of the other cats. I was taken by her when she rubbed against my leg and reached up with one paw as if she was introducing herself. [My brother and sister-in-law] offered her to me, and I gladly took her home. She loves to cuddle, and when I hold her, she gives me a delicate "kiss" on the lips. When I sit down, she always jumps on my lap.

When I leave for work in the morning, she rubs my shoes with her paws as if to say, "Come home safely." She has filled the loneliness with joy and peace. My children and I are still very close and [they] have come to understand why we were separated. Tammy helped heal my broken heart. I believe animals have the spirit of God in them; they show us daily his unconditional love.

--Annette S.

Dillin, Spirit, Angel, Tess, and Golden Child

These are my five shih tzus--Dillin, Spirit, Angel, Tess, and Golden Child (aka Boosie). [They are] my angels, and they are all named for characters on the old TV show "Touched by an Angel." They are my pride and joy. In their short lives, they have helped me through a divorce, the death of my dad, six household moves, and four health issues that should have kiilled me but didn't. They bring me out of the blues when I'm down.

We have even broken up other people's arguments in parking lots when we're walking nearby. The folks that are testy see us and can't help but smile, and [they] end up holding hands and/or smiling at one another. [My dogs] comfort me in many ways--licking, smiling, climbing on my lap or sharing my pillow.

When I came home from the hospital after having survived sepsis, I was very weak and alone. They demanded nothing of me and slept with me while my body was healing. They are truly incredible--they share, one letting another drink or eat before the first. They are polite, easygoing, and playful. If there is no heaven for pets, it's only because they provide us with heaven on earth.

--Cassi H.

Sassy

Sassy has been a godsend for me. I have lupus and I had a stroke in March 2006 which led to seizures that were out of control. My mother brought me a border collie/Australian shepherd mix puppy in April this year.

With no training Sassy can alert me up to four hours before a seizure comes. She will bark a few short yips, grab my hand, lead me to the couch (her safe place for me), and then sit on me until she feels it's safe enough for her to get off.

I recently had Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) surgery to help control the seizures, but Sassy is still alerting me and responding to them. Since she is only 7 months old, I cannot thank God enough for sending her to me. Sassy has fur instead of wings!

--Dewanna W.

Cisco Max

Cisco Max is a year old Chihuahua. I call him Max for short. He came into my life this past January, and he is my best friend since the passing of my son, a fallen hero who went to be with the Lord a year ago.

Max brings me comfort with his sweet temperament, unconditional love, and eagerness to please. At home, he perches on my shoulder to give me comfort. His favorite game is playing fetch with his toys, and he counts all his toys every day and makes sure they are all out of his playpen. He has an older "sister," a cat that was my son's best friend. They play, he spars with her, and then she has fun chasing him around the house.

They say the word "dog" is God spelled backwards and a cat thinks it is God! However, I feel blessed by these creatures knowing all too well they are here to comfort, to be my friends, and to bring a smile to me again. [They are a] promise from God telling me all is well--"I am with you always, even unto the end of the Age."

--Carolyn N.

Bud

This is my angel, Bud. He is 13 years old and has a sister named Daisy Mae. My mother adopted both of them as kittens.

I've been diabetic for nine years now, and last December I started using insulin to treat my diabetes. I used to fear my sugar levels dropping until I found I have an angel looking over me. [One night], Bud woke me up. Thinking he wanted [to go] outside, I let him out, but I felt strange so I checked my sugar level and, sure enough, I had dropped to 70. [Another time], he scratched at the door. I didn't think anything of it, but I found it strange when he followed me into the bathroom. Something told me to check my sugar level, and it had dropped once again to 70. I have noticed that when my sugar gets low, he follows me around the house. He seems to sense something that I don't always feel.

--Rena Y.

Xavier

In June 2003, my husband of 17 years began using meth. I fought and fought to keep our lives normal, but in the end the drugs won out, and I had to take the kids and leave. As you can imagine, life was very different and times were very hard. Money was tight, and raising three teenage daughters alone almost proved to be more than I could handle. I prayed every night for God to bless me with a solution.

In March of 2005, the answer finally arrived. While looking through my email, I saw an ad for a year-old rottweiler. Immediately I knew this was God's answer to my broken heart. I responded to the ad and, to my joy, was told that the dog was mine! A few days later, I met with the woman after work, and she delivered this bundle of love into my life.

I took him home, and it was the calmest and the most relaxed I had felt since my ordeal began. Then the worst thing possible happened. I came home from a morning of shopping to find the gate open and Xavier gone. I searched everywhere, I posted flyers, I called the animal shelter, and I posted ads on all the sites I could think of but to no avail. I was devastated. I cried daily, and the world seemed to stand still. I prayed and prayed, but the days dragged on and on. Miraculously, three weeks and one day later, I received a call from the Denver Dumb Friends league that my Xavier had been found! My heart soared with joy. I raced to the shelter and picked him up. He was in great shape, a little tired, and a little dirty, but he was home.

I believe that God sent me Xavier so that I had someone to help me through a difficult time. God sent me my best friend.

--Tammy H.

Pupi

I have had my little toy fox terrier for nine years now. She is a pure breed and her name is Pupi. My doggie has seen me through promotions and layoffs, on happy days and days when I didn't want to get out of bed, when I was going through my divorce, and [during times of] loneliness when my daughters left to go live with their father after the divorce.

She has been a constant, true, and loyal friend who has cheered me up by jumping on my lap and giving me a sweet look when I thought I couldn't face another day. She is the most affectionate dog I have ever met. I once counted 1,000 licks from her and she kept going, but I got tired of counting! She has kept me company by sleeping with me in my big bed. She has let me put different outfits on her without complaining and posing for a thousand pictures without stopping.

If I had to choose a more perfect dog it would be impossible because she is the perfect dog--all 7 lbs. of her. People say that my dog is spoiled rotten, but they don't understand she is more than just "a dog." She is my family--she has replaced the absence of my daughters who are never around anymore. My daughters may have forgotten me, but Pupi hasn't. She is a reminder of goodness, loyalty, and altruistic love. I owe her my life for helping me live mine a little better.

--Marissa T.

Shaggy

Shaggy is a cocker spaniel named after the Scooby Doo show. He is always there to listen to me when I need a friend, and he enjoys taking walks with me. He is very protective of me and my children. When my third child was a baby, [Shaggy] would keep looking in the bassinet at him and start whining if the baby cried. He still checks on all the kids; he goes to their rooms and looks for them when they are sleeping.

He thinks he's a lap dog; he loves to sit on my lap when I sit on the couch or the recliner. He won't even eat unless I stand in the kitchen with him. He's like another child to me; he just wants attention and love from his family. [Shaggy] lifts my spirits when I am sad about something. He shows me there's more to life if you just slow down and take the time to notice all the beautiful things on this earth.

--Elizabeth P.