Annie

August 2009: 

Annie was found as a stray living on the streets of Columbus Ohio by the local dog warden.  The shelter estimated her age to be six years.  Shortly after she was picked up they called to let us know that if she was not claimed by the end of their three day waiting period, she could be released to us.  As most rescue groups know, when you go to pick up a dog you never know what you will come face to face with.  Questions run through your mind; will the dog be healthy, friendly, somewhat trained (or at least trainable), and lastly will she be adoptable….

When I checked in at the front desk of the shelter I told the volunteer behind the window I was with Westie Rescue and was there to pick up a dog they were holding for us.  She gave me a serious look and said “Do you want to see her first?”.  My stomach sank.  Just what condition could this Westie be in for her to ask such a question?  I told the lady I would take her regardless of her condition and started preparing myself for the worst.

When Annie came out into the lobby, she looked as if she had been on the streets for months.  She was filthy, matted, and just looked pitiful -- but she seemed happy!  She walked out the door on the leash, went potty as soon as we reached the grass and continued with me to the truck as if we had been doing this together for years.  I was thinking “This is too good to be true”.  She jumped right up into the truck and sat there looking at me as if to say “Come on, we need to get home”.  Before I could get situated, she was in my lap and kissing my face.  This… was a wonderful dog!  She sat in the seatbelt next to me as I started home, continuing to kiss the parts of me she could reach.  It was non-stop kissing.  This little girl was used to sharing affection.  As I drove I couldn’t help thinking that this dog must have been loved and well taken care of by someone.

When we arrived home I introduced her to Jean and the other eight Westies in the house and she immediately blended right in and gave Jean the kissing treatment I had been getting in the truck.  Most of the dogs we take in are, at least at first, more comfortable around other dogs because typically they have been neglected or mistreated by humans before coming to us.  Annie, however, was the exception.  She loved us and wanted to follow our every move, and for the most part, ignored the other dogs.  When we would leave the room she would cry and not just a normal whimper, I mean really cry.  She was craving human companionship.  By the time we got her cleaned up a bit and settled in, it was time for bed.  I put her in a crate and took my DannyBoy and Mary up to bed with me.

The crying began as soon as we were out of her sight.  I thought, as I usually do, that it would stop after a short time but it didn’t and it was breaking my heart.  So I went and got her, took her upstairs with me and put her in bed.   She immediately laid on one of the pillows and promptly went to sleep.  Another sign that she had been used to this arrangement and like a good Westie, wasn’t going to settle for anything less.  When I awoke in the morning she was in the same spot.  She jumped out of bed with Danny and Mary, followed me down stairs and went right outside.   I walked out with her and when I told her to go potty she did so almost immediately.  Someone had spent significant time training this dog.  We soon found out that Annie loved getting tummy rubs because every time we sat down or stood still, she would walk up to us, roll over on her back and give us that “look”.  Annie got lots of tummy rubs over the next few days. This, I thought, was going to be one of those “easy” rescues.

I had picked Annie up on Sunday and immediately Monday morning called and scheduled a vet appointment for the following Saturday morning.  By Wednesday, we noticed Annie was coughing and assumed it was the typical kennel cough that so many of the dogs from the shelter have when we get them.  It wasn’t until Friday night that she started going downhill.  Within a short time she became lethargic, developed a temperature and started shaking.  That was when I decided she couldn’t wait until morning to see a vet and needed to go to the emergency room right away.  Jean took her because I had a big day ahead of me with an early rescue delivery to Pennsylvania the next day. It was late when she called to say that the emergency room vet thought Annie had pneumonia and wanted to keep her overnight, give her IV antibiotics and do more testing the next day.  She also felt Annie needed to see an internal specialist to determine the cause of the pneumonia.  Her treatment plan would depend on the outcome of those tests.  The next day they ran tests and determined that she had severe onset pneumonia and started her on a regiment of two potent antibiotics plus pain meds.  She also had a urinary tract infection which they felt the antibiotics she was taking for the pneumonia would take care of.  Over the next two days at the hospital she started feeling much better and by Sunday afternoon they released her into our care.

Annie was still a sick little girl when I picked her up but according to the MedVet staff, she never lost the desire to share her love with someone.  They all knew about Annie and several made a point of telling me how special and loving they thought she was.  As soon as I sat her in my lap, she was back to kissing me non-stop.

The picture to the left is of Annie shortly after she came home from the hospital.   She spent a lot of time over the next few days resting in her favorite spot on the sofa and getting lots of love and tummy rubs.

Annie is expected to make a full recovery and we are so thankful for that.  Her expenses for that weekend, however, were over $1,900 and nearly drained our bank account.  Without the help of WestieMed, we would have had to think twice before taking in another rescue.  Because of their generosity we are in a position to continue helping needy Westies in the Central Ohio area.

Thanks WestieMed!

Beverly Ressler
Central Ohio Westie Rescue

Update September 6, 2009:

Annie is doing great.  She went to our vet last week and we received great news.  She has recovered fully from her pneumonia.  I even have a family interested in adopting Annie.  She is scheduled to be spayed and have a dental on 9-23 so it could be that they come to adopt and pick her up at the Westie Walk! 

Bev

Update February 2, 2010:

The only way to start this story is at the beginning - - “our” beginning with Annie.  Having loved and enjoyed many four legged family members over 42 years of marriage, my wife Lee and I have become Westie lovers.  Annie is our fourth West Highland White Terrier.  Life with Annie started with our second visit to Beverly Ressler’s home following an adoption of a puppy mill rescue Westie (Angel) earlier in the year.  When we met Annie she seemed full of affection as she apparently loved human touch.  I had one major concern.  My wife made the commitment to give our rescue Westie Angel a loving home for the rest of her life even if she could not adapt to a social environment.  That meant Angel was the priority.  I needed some assurance from Beverly.  If Annie could not co-exist with our first adopted Westie, could we bring Annie back? Beverly’s answer, of course, was yes.

By the end of Annie’s second day with us, I told Lee that “Annie was going NO WHERE”!  OH-My-Gosh what a love.  I should have known that fact within the first 30 miles north of Beverly’s house on I-77 heading home with Annie two nights earlier.  “Why” you should ask.  Because Annie had all of Lee’s make-up off her face.  Lee’s cheeks were virtually red and there was no stopping Annie as long as Lee held her on her lap – the alternative was a cage in the car and that was not going to happen.  It was so FUNNY watching Annie get acquainted with Lee – Annie would have been all over me had I not been driving.  We laughed all the way home.  Annie spent her first day surveying our house and that was it.  Day two, “ANNIE” was home.  Oh do we love this little girl – or maybe “LITTLE” is inappropriate.  Annie is not little by any Westie standard and we love every pound and ripple of her.  She greets us with a wonderful level of energy when we come home. There are also these wonderful little sounds she makes when she wants a hand to touch her.  We have benefited greatly from Annie’s presence and so has Angel.  Yes, Angel has benefited.  Annie seems to have helped Angel understand how to become a dog versus a creature used to produce new puppies.

We now have two GREAT babies that will be loved and live a terrific, safe, healthy and “spoiled” life .  In the truest sense, “A DOG’s LIFE”. Thank you to Beverly and a huge thanks to my bride of 42+ years who simply has a wonderful heart full of love for all animals – and some of it has rubbed off on me.

Bob Meisch, Angel and Annie’s permanent Papa.

Update July 30, 2010:

I am sending this to some family and friends that have loving four legged family members. Yesterday, Lee and I held Annie in our arms as she went to sleep.  This is so painful.  I buried her next to KD and Muffin in our backyard. Above is Annie's Story that I had the great pleasure of writing for WestieMed's web site right after we adopted her.  That is only a tiny part of Annie's story but none of you would likely read the thousands of words that it would take for me to describe this wonderful baby.

After a few days in the Vet hospital with what initially appeared to be an improvement, Annie took a turn for the worse very quickly after we brought her home. No need to detail that pain.

I thought I would never experience pain as severe as when we lost KD our last Westie.  This is much worse. Lee and I (don't know exactly why) feel the same - -all our babies were terrific but Annie - - 8 months with us after being rescued by Beverly Ressler was enough for us to fall in love with this girl.  She was large (not fat) for a Westie so Lee nick named her "Hunka Hunka" and she had burning love for us (remember the song).  Annie talked to me with this high pitched little sweet bark.  She seemed to know how to make all the right sounds and expression (she could do that) to get into our hearts.

Yesterday, we both wrote some things on her casket before I placed her into the grave.  Sounds dumb maybe but it was part of our grieving. I took a marker and outlined my hand on the casket as she always loved my hand on her belly. It goes with her. Lee told her to wait for her at the Rainbow Bridge.  This is so very painful for me - what a loving baby. I have to stop now  - I can't go on (really difficult) but for all of you that love these members of your family, PLEASE cherish them every day.

One last thing:  To Beverly - thank you so much for allowing Annie into our lives. I could never repay you for that.  You more than anyone else knows how very special she was. God bless you for your kindness.

Bob