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 Misty & Rain Together |
Rain
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by Valerie Anderson
The only thing better than having one rescue Golden
is to have two rescue Goldens!
In 1999, our seven-year old Golden, Jazz, was becoming increasingly affected by the arthritis and hip dysplasia that she had suffered for several years. We had gotten her from what we have come to realize was an irresponsible breeder who wasn’t concerned about breeding healthy Goldens. We watched Jazz slowly lose her mobility and become less able to run and play the way other dogs enjoy on a daily basis. As we noticed her decline, it became clear to us that she was not likely to enjoy a long life. The thought of our family without a Golden was just too painful to consider. Jazz and my husband were attached at the hip – their bond was intense. We raised her from the time she was seven weeks old and she was our “first baby” because she came along before we had any children. When I broached my husband on the subject of adopting another dog, his response was “How could I possibly pet another dog when Jazz wants all my attention – it wouldn’t be fair.” However, he understood that eventually we would lose her and her lose would leave a major void in our family; he gave me his blessing to contact NCGGR. We were fortunate enough to get connected with Carol Porter who worked with us and matched us with a second Golden (and our first rescue Golden), Misty.
Misty came from a good home where she was loved and cared for, but her family couldn’t keep her. At three years old, she was still a bundle of energy who wanted nothing more than to chase a tennis ball and be loved. The transition took some time but Misty and Jazz adjusted to each other. The big adjustment was came with the idea of “sharing” – toys, the house, yard and most of all -- family members. We made a conscious effort to make sure they each received equal attention, that they each had their own bed, and we learned that whatever toys we buy for them, there must always be two of everything! We all lived happily for two and a half years until early 2002 when Jazz’s condition deteriorated to the point that her discomfort could no longer be managed with medication. In Jazz’s later years, we had many lengthy discussions with our vet about various options, however, at this point, we were out of options – except for one – the one we dreaded to face. Our kind and compassionate vet concurred that it was time to put Jazz down. It was excruciatingly painful for us to lose Jazz, she was after all, our first Golden girl and to us, she was an extraordinary companion. At this especially sad time, Misty provided us with such a large measure of comfort that helped us through our grieving. She was constantly at our side, probably because she also missed her Golden friend as well.
Becoming an “ only dog” meant special privileges for Misty! We previously stayed close to home because of Jazz’s condition. However, Misty got to “travel” with us for the first time, and we found out that she is a terrific traveler. She accompanied us on trips to the mountains and to Pacific Grove. She also has received “abundant attention.” We are also able to take longer walks, which she needs to keep her weight under control and is beneficial to the rest of the family. We felt it was important that Misty have some time to enjoy life and receive all of our attention without sharing it with another dog. We didn’t place any timeline on this, but we knew at some point when we felt ready, we would want to adopt another Golden - we just didn’t know how soon it would happen!
Along came Rain! Unexpectedly, we received a call from NGRR Volunteer Justine Eller (who did our home visit when we applied to adopt Misty) telling us about a six-month old Golden needing a good home and might we be interested in at least meeting her? Like Misty, she was surrendered by her owner, who in this case, could no longer care for Rain. How could we say no? Justine knew about our losing Jazz and also that at some point in time, we would consider adopting a Golden puppy.
My husband, daughter and I took Misty and we met Rain. Needless to say, it was love at first sight! She was a gorgeous little redhead with a sweet and charming disposition. While Misty wasn’t as taken with her as we were, Rain was delighted with her new step-sister. It took little time for us to decide that Rain would make a wonderful addition to our family.
In the six months since Rain came to us, I am delighted to report that she made a quick adjustment to her new surroundings and family and she is thriving. She is a full participant in all of our family activities and always insists on being in the middle of every event and occasion. It is obvious that Rain is thrilled to have Misty as a companion. She follows Misty everywhere and she takes her cues from Misty. Misty and Rain have established their “ground rules” for sharing – space, toys and humans. She has clearly settled into the routine of our household, and from all accounts, is very content with her new family life.
We feel very blessed with our two Golden girls. We are grateful to NGRR for placing Misty and Rain with us as their permanent family. They make our family complete.
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