Faces of a Puppy Mill

My Precious George

I like to think that George’s life truly began in April 2008. That is when he was removed from absolutely horrific conditions at a puppy mill. I’ll never forget when I first saw him at the shelter. He was curled up in the back of a cage with his tongue hanging out. My eyes began to tear and I knew I had to help him.
 
It turned out that George had many serious health issues. He had a 6 out of 6 heart murmur and serious neurological issues which left him barely able to stand or walk. The vet determined that these problems were all a result of his horribly bad teeth. He only had a couple of teeth left, and they were badly infected. The bacteria from the bad teeth entered his body and caused severe damage. However, due to his bad heart, we could not risk putting him under anesthesia to remove the teeth.  Even with such serious health problems, I could see that this little dog wanted to fight. I took him outside and he walked a few wobbly steps on the grass for probably the first time in his life. I knew then that he was determined to try his best to see what life had to offer.
 
So, he came home to live with my two cats and me. I was unsure how my cats would react to a dog entering our peaceful home. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that they welcomed him into their lives. I truly believe that they knew he was not well and needed our help. Chester, my very shy but sweet boy, seemed to take on the role of  guardian. On several occasions, I saw him watching George, as if to keep an eye on him and make sure he was okay. They both accepted him into our family.
 
I soon learned that taking care of George would require a lot of work. First, he was on multiple medications. Luckily, I learned that putting the pills in cream cheese did the trick! Second, he had a severe lack of mobility. Standing and walking were difficult for him. I took every opportunity to have him walk and I do believe he got stronger. However, if he fell on to his side, he could not right himself and I would need to pick him up. Also, he could not hold himself up when going to the bathroom so I would have to hold him steady. Since he could not go outside to go the bathroom like most dogs, I used special pads and did a lot of cleaning. It was truly a labor of love, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I saw the love in his eyes every day and I knew that my efforts were sincerely appreciated.
 
While George lived with me, he was exposed to many new and exciting things. For example, he quickly became a big sports fan. He watched more hockey and football than most people do and soon was a huge Chicago Bears fan! I really enjoyed watching the games with him and I could see the joy in his eyes whenever they scored! Also, he became quite the connoisseur of great food. In order to give him high quality foods with lots of protein, I often cooked him salmon and chicken. Once he smelled the salmon cooking from the kitchen, the barking began! He got so excited and absolutely loved his gourmet dishes! He always licked the plate clean!
 
So, for the first time in his life, George was able to experience true love. I cannot begin to express the joy that brought to my life. All he wanted was to be loved and to love back. I did the best I could to make his time as happy as possible. Sadly, that time would be cut short. George suffered a stroke and was no longer able to hold himself up at all. I knew that the quality of his life was now all but gone. I could still see the love in his eyes, but I could also feel the sorrow. A very difficult decision was made, and George went to the Rainbow Bridge on January 23rd. Although there is a huge hole in my heart, I take solace in the knowledge that I was able to show him the true meaning of love and give him the chance he so deeply deserved. I miss you terribly my sweet George.
 
Laura