On December 14, 2001, I was arriving home
after work, when I first saw Abby.
She was crossing the street and
I called out to her so
she would not get hit by a car.
She came up to me with her head down and
tail wagging between her legs.
She was very skinny with a big belly.
I immeditaely took her
into my patio and fed her.
I decided to keep her over the weekend and
attempt to locate her owner.
Abby had a collar, but no tags.
We did not know her name and
initially called her “GIRL”.
I began to post signs
around the neighborhood
in hopes to find her owner.
My husband was not open
to keeping her as
we were not allowed to have pets.
However, I already knew
she would be mine.
The first “big news” came about
a week later when I took her
to the vet because I was going
to have to kennel her
for the Christmas holidays.
Abby was pregnant and
due in about 3-4 weeks.
Of course, my husband and
I knew at that point
we had to take care of her
until she delivered her puppies.
We decided to name her Abby
because my husband joked
how she would be the perfect
“DEAR ABBY” case.
I would rub her belly,
give her special treats and
keep her warm. I set up in the garage
a bed with comforter
to begin preparing for her BIG DAY.
Then, January 3, 2002, five puppies were born.
I was so excited and
proud of how Abby took care of them.
She was a GREAT mommy.
By then my husband and
I were so in love with all of them and
ABBY had not only changed our lives,
but was forever in our hearts.
We eventually found loving homes
for all the puppies except for one.
We decided to keep the one
who cried all the time.
It was great for Abby because
she had a playmate.
Then, we had to move Abby and
her pup to my in-laws
because our landlord would
no longer allow us to have
her at our townhome.
However, I was with her
every morning and evening and
we would take the dogs
for walks and to the beach.
Abby loved the beach,
she would run around wild.
I use to say she got the “CRAZIES.”
Then, one day Abby chewed
on a Sago Palm seed and
immediately got sick.
When we got the news from the Vet
that her condition was 100% fatal,
we were devastated.
How could this happen to her, to us,
we wanted her so much to live.
We spent the next days with her.
Then, she died on
Tuesday, May 14, 2002 at 3:15 PM.
I will never forget that day and
how upset we were.
She left us as quickly as
she came into our lives.
The next day, by coincidence
I received a call from
one of the owners of the puppies
we gave away.
The owner could no longer keep the puppy.
She had no idea about
what had happened to our Abby.
I immediately picked up the puppy.
I could not believe
the incredible gift Abby left us,
but I also felt so sad.
We buried Abby on our parents land
next to our other beloved family pets.
My husband and I think about her
all the time.
Although we feel our time
with her was too short,
we feel blessed to have spent
any time with her.
In fact, we often say anyone
who did not know her, missed out.
We love you so much and
hug on to your babies tight
all the time and each time I feel
that I am hugging on tight to you.
We Love You Abby Girl,
J.R. and Corina
| Abby Girl |
| J.R. and Corina |