This is the story of Snow White

This is the story of Snow White. It is not a fairy tale, and it does not have a happy ending. I suggest you find a kleenex before reading any further, as any person with an ounce of compassion will read this through tears.

THIS is what rescue is burdened with too often. THIS is what can happen when people who don't care about the lives the puppies they create let them go to the wrong homes. If you wonder why most responsible breeders have an application for you to complete, and want to do a home check in some cases, or call references, or ask very pointed and personal questions, THIS is the reason.

Someone to cry for me

When I was born, my momma cried. I know it hurt.

While I grew up and my siblings played rough, sometimes they were too rough and I cried. It hurt.

I grew up, and found a home, but they kept me locked away, and I cried. I was lonely.

Days and nights passed, and something grew in the dark and I cried. It hurt.

One day, someone lifted the dark and I cried. I was scared.

They looked at the thing that grew in the dark, and had sad faces and I cried. I was scared.

Someone warm and loving held me in their arms, and stroked my head and I cried with joy. It felt SO nice.

She whispered in my ear and told me that the thing that grew in the dark, would not hurt me anymore. That I would not have to stay locked away, and I could be in the sunshine only. I felt a little prick and I cried.

I was very sleepy, and the hurt was going away. I nestled close to the lady holding me, and I looked up.

Someone was crying for me.

Snow White was confiscated Jan 26, 2008 as part of a cruelty/neglect case. She had numerous, massive, inoperable tumors, abcessed rotting teeth, over grown nails and who knows what else. The vets said there was just no way. She runs free, and she runs in the light. NO MORE, dark crates 24/7.

This is the story as relayed to me by Serena, in her own words, when I asked permission to post Snow White's memorial and story here.

"I was called Monday about these dogs, by Animal Control in the city the dogs were in.

Apparently over a year ago the owner had been cited, and she was forced to place the dogs. She did so, but with family and friends, so eventually the dogs came back to her. There were 8, and i guess what precipitated this confiscation was that one had an abscessed tooth or something like that, and she could not afford to pay for it, so they euthanized the dog. The dogs were all taken away from her at that time.

I was told that she kept them in covered crates and rarely let them out. At first they thought they were whippets and sent photos to someone in Whippet rescue, who immediately saw they were IG's and forwarded the information to me.

From the moment i saw the photos, i knew Snow White was doomed. Since there were now 7 I named them after the 7 dwarfs, but threw out Dopey and pulled in Snow White. I thought it a nicer name.

Snow White would break your heart. She was a fat old lady, with a very shiny coat, and bright eyes, that glowed with warmth and joy. She loved running about my yard, sniffing and marking (she was in season, so there was a lot of marking to be done). I was emotionally ill at the thought of putting her to sleep, but I knew the longer I kept her, the more difficult it would be.

The vet at the shelter had already said prior to us getting there that the tumors were really bad. The vet that looked at the photo's said they were inoperable, and when my vet saw her yesterday, she said there was just NO way, unless massive skin grafting was done, and in her current condition she just did not see it being successful and that for her, going to the bridge was the best option.

That was when we discovered Snow White was obedience trained. We brought in soft cookies for her to eat on, and the tech said "can you Sit?" and she SAT. Our eyes met, and she said DOWN...and Snow White laid down. Now I was sick. It was SO obvious that those hideous things hurt, but she was DOWN. I made it thro the euthanasia,...but just barely. Somehow I thought it would be easier if it was not my dog. Not the case.

I was going to have her cremated and brought home, but then the vet told me that they scatter the ashes in a group cremation, so I opted for that, so that she would not longer be confined, either in spirit or in body. IF indeed she was kept in a crate, I was not going to continue that injustice by having her in an urn on my mantle."

Serena Galloway

www.ankhu.com

IGRF Regional Rescue Advisor (Area 2)

IGRF rescue Rep for Colorado