Remembering Vicki Valentine... Sometimes life just seems so unfair and this is again one of those times. Always looking to help people adopt dogs from the shelter, a nice couple mentioned they wanted to adopt a female German Shepherd and would be willing to take an older one. After checking with several shelters, we found a beautiful 7.5 year old that had just been deserted by her family when they moved. (Some people still don't get it that dogs can move too.) They had owned her since she was a pup and she had been a loyal companion. Even knew lots of tricks (including Show Teeth - her special smile) that she showed off for the shelter workers who instantly fell in love with her. They did call to say she had severe hip dysplasia but that didn't phase the nice people that were willing to take her into their home. They just figured they would make whatever time she had left good and as comfortable as possible.
They drove 2 hours each way in the rain to pick Vicky up and since it was February 14th, they decided to call her Vicky Valentine. That night Vicky got lots of love and even slept on the bed for a while. The next morning, after getting petted during morning coffee, Vicky died suddenly. It was a shock for all involved and we were all deeply saddened. We will never know what happened...possibly she had a heart attack from the stress of being moved at such an old age. Maybe she was older than the owners had said and had a condition they didn't mention when turning her in. Or maybe she just died of a broken heart from being abandoned from the family who she had loved all her life. We are so thankful that she didn't die in the shelter. We hope that she knew that there were people that cared about her. We wish all the other old dogs that people just toss aside in their last days of need could feel the love that Vicky saw at the end. And we pray that someday this will be a better world for all of the unwanted animals. We love you Vicky Valentine.