Those of you who have looked at my site in the April through June time period of this year might remember this cutie’s face. Her name was (and still is) Scrappy. True, she’s not a Bichon, but she sure had a lot of good friends that were. Scrappy was unique in many different ways aside from her Terrier heritage.
A fellow rescue acquaintance was at North Central Shelter (serving lovely downtown and East LA) one day, pulling a dog for another group (rescue talk for paying the fee and doing the paperwork to spring a dog from prison.) She found out a cute little four-month-old malti-poo and a two-year-old scrappy terrier with loads of personality were about to get the needle. Knowing that at least one of them was white and fluffy, she quickly thought of Bichons and Buddies. One of each.
Unfortunately, the malti-poo suffered the same fate as many pups who end up at some of our worst shelters. What was thought to be a respiratory infection turned out to be the deadly distemper virus. Despite the best efforts of our vets, and sparing no expense, Cookie finally manifested the tell-tale seizures of this deadly disease at which point we chose to set her precious little body free. (To join the fight in providing a vaccine for the cure, please join www.stopdistempernow.com and encourage your friends and family to do the same.)
So there we were with Scrappy. A feisty, exuberant little girl who knew she was lucky to make it out the front door of “the shelter.” Scrappy quickly became known as the little trouble-maker. Of course when she was with me she was as sweet and comical and loving as can be. But when she was with others, she quickly became known as the little trouble-maker.
Scrappy was one of those rare pooches we have that for some unknown reason isn’t getting adopted. After a couple of weeks (which is a long time to have a dog for us) I decided she really needed a foster home. That’s when I tried my doomed “paid-foster” program. I figured for what I was paying for boarding at the Payeton Place of facilities, I could have her in a wonderful home getting taken out regularly, loved, and with a soft spot to sleep.
Scrappy went through two foster homes (due to a combination of her own idiosyncrasies and the stress-level of the foster) and ended up at Peyton Place. That’s when Nancy of Perfect Pet Rescue made a promise (and anyone who knows Nancy knows she would die before she broke a promise): she was going to get Scrappy adopted out. It was a done deal. Before I knew it, a terrific guy that she personally knew with a wonderful family wanted Scrappy.
Scrappy loved Dad and the family. She and Dad had a special bond – he took her everywhere with him. There were so many lives that she touched and so many hearts that she warmed that we actually had a little celebration at our Sat. event when I showed up one week without her! Everyone was thrilled, and the happy periodic updates kept that feeling alive.
I know you all know where this is headed. I want you to know that one of the major reasons I’m sharing this sad story, aside from the fact that I want to pay homage to my special Scrappy, is that I WANT YOU TO BE AWARE WALKING YOUR DOG. It’s no news shock that we live in a changed society on many levels. For some of us our four-legged kids provide a pillar of faith, not in the nature and character of man, but as a perpetual reminder of what pure joy, unconditional love, and devotion really look like. We feel it with them, we share it with them, and we cherish them.
No street is safe. I will tell you briefly of my own personal experience walking my beloved heart dog Bijou several years ago before she passed. We live near Marina Del Rey in a nice neighborhood. While taking the dogs for a nice walk around the block, out from behind this fence that was left open comes an I-don’t-even-remember-what dog (obviously bigger than a bichon) and jumps her while I’m holding her leash! Fortunately Liz, my partner, was with me because between us we could have handled a grizzly bear! Adrenaline is nature’s magic potion. Bijou only sustained relatively minor injuries which still required a $900 vet visit (not to mention a yucky drain) but the owners of the killer-dog paid it complete with flowers and an apology card.
Unfortunately, Scrappy was not so lucky. She was being walked by a relative who had her two-year-old and seven-year-old with her. A nice leisurely walk with the kids and dog turned into every small-dog-owner’s worst nightmare: A pitbull charging out of nowhere. The woman scooped up Scrappy and shoved her two kids behind her but that wasn’t stopping this stray. It lunged up at scrappy and grabbed her, shaking her violently.
If it weren’t for the quick defenses of this brave lady, Scrappy would have been killed instantly. Apparently kicking an unneutered dog in the Kaunas has the same effect as kicking a male Homosapien. He dropped Scrappy and ran off. Scrappy was brought to one of the premier (THE most expensive) emergency vets in Southern CA in the hopes of saving her. Initial tests showed there was internal damage but was repairable. Surgery was performed which was successful, however, in the ensuing days, after multiple blood transfusions, the swelling around her spine rendered no sensation in her back legs and her vitals were continuously unstable. We did what all loving owners would and should do – help them cross that bridge peacefully into a place where there is no pain, no infirmities, and where we will one day be joyously reunited.
Be aware when you are walking your dog and carry something that you can fend off an attacker with. Pepper spray is good, a small stick (like a mini baseball bat) or water bottle with water and ammonia in it and aim for the eyes and nose. Wasp spray also works well. If you choose not to carry anything and you have a few seconds before the attack, try bending down quickly as if picking up a rock or branch (even if one is not there) and pretend (or do) to throw it while yelling in an authoritative voice “GET OUT OF HERE!” Always pick up your dog when you see a big one coming unless you personally know that dog.
Give your pooch a kiss and don’t forget each day we have is a gift.
Godspeed, Scrappy.
I fostered scrappy for a little while for Nancy…my wife and I both still miss scrappy and are saddened to hear of what happened to her.
Such a tragic story, I’m so sorry for the loss of this precious soul that brought joy to all who knew her.
I too have a similar story with my beloved Brody. My daughter walked him on a leash around the block one evening and as he was sniffing something on the ground near a fence a rottweiler stuck his head through the fence and if not for my daughter’s quick thinking Brody would have been that dog’s dinner. After a large vet bill and a couple of calls to Animal Control the fence has since been fortified so the dog cannot stick his head through anymore. Brody made it through that encounter but couldn’t fight the battle with the big “C” and passed away in my arms the night before Thanksgiving 4 yrs ago. I still miss his cute licking problem.
Love those rescues that have gone through so much and still have so much to give.
Old dogs rule!!
Scrappy looks almost identical to my girl Holly and I was so upset when I read your story. I have a lot of stray animals in my neighborhood and several times I have had to pick up my two dogs like footballs and high tail it home with large barking dogs following me : ( I’m so glad my story didn’t end like yours!!!