Ginger by Marie

For 6 years I have been writing this story in my head because there was no where to put it and didn’t think anyone would care. Now finding the site “In Memory of Pets” and seeing the caring and wonderful things there I would like the put my heart to computer.

I would like to tell you of a wonderful daughter that came in to my life and how she was taken from me to early and how cruel the lesson can be. I call Ginger my daughter because I have never had childern and that is what she was to me a little person with hair. When I got her she just fit into my hand. She was fawn with a black mask. We went everywhere together. I did not want her to be timid or snappy so I would hand her to anyone that was cooing over her. And even at the drive up bank I would put her in the bank drawer and they would pull her in and love on her while I would do what ever I had to do. And than they would pass her back to me and we would all laugh and off Ginger and I would go.

Ginger grew into a great person she had the heart of a Wolfhound and the grace of a greyhound and she could go anywhere and be a Little Lady. She loved traveling and meeting family and friends and swimming and lounging in the sun with the sprinkler going back and forth to keep us cool. She loved the hot tub and running and eating chicken.

My husband and I decided to move to the country and buy a small farm. We started a Pgmy Farm. We have Pygmy Goats and chickens and any other small animals you can think of and Ginger loved them all. We had other dogs and cats they were also little people with hair and everybody got along with no misunderstanding. In the summer I would garden and sell vegetables and eggs. The goats are sold as pets only. Great little animals lawn mowers that run on corn and water.

My husband’s son lived with us of and on and Ginger loved her brother. I can say this because he brought a girlfriend home one day and introduced Ginger as His sister. If he were working on his car she would try to help with kisses to the face.

Ginger and I worked the farm and would go for walks in the country and to the neighbors where ther were two litle boys 7 and 9. Boy did she like those guys running and playing with them was fun and she loved it when petted her They were good friends: Ginger had a walk about of her own and she would go to visit everyday in the summer when they were on vacation. Crossing the goat lot where as many as 22 was there and never did they bother her or did she bother them.

Ginger and I did everything together and I told her all my secrets and she listened and kissed my tears away.

By now years with Ginger were wonderful but other things were hard. See by now my marriage had turned into an abusive one. I hid it from everyone and like most abused womes I did not know what to do other than just try to hold the family together.

The day came a beautiful day and in the afternoon Ginger went on her walk about while I worked inside. Time passed and I thought she was taking very long this time and I went looking for her I looked everywhere I saw the neighbor boys outside now 9 and 11 target shooting with a b-b gun. I asked if they had seen Ginger and thay had not. I ask them to help me find her and off on their bikes they went. Well by now I was panicked and my world was so dark my daughter was gone. Than came the younger of the two and in his arm was Ginger and seeming to enjoy the ride he handed her to me and said she was about a mile away. My God what would make her go that far. I thank him and gave him a hug. I looked Ginger over and she had a hole in her back and was sore so off to the vet we went.

Jerry Smith a wonderful vet looked at her and the hole we thought another dog got her and shook her other than that she was OK so he gave her antibiotics to be taken morning and night. We went home saying if any change we would be back. That night Ginger would not let me leave her she wanted to be held and loved and that was just fine with me we went to bed later and everything was normal. The next few days Ginger would not let me out of her sight she no longer went on walk about and really didn’t like being put down so I could work but she tolerated it She started to loose weight and more nervous Back to Jerry the vet he thought she had a liver infection so now the steroids started. I would get her to eat and gain weight and than she would lose it. We saw Jerry every two weeks now. Three months later she was still not doing well, Jerry and I now went back into her records to the day she was lost the hole. My God Jerry I said “the boys had a b-b- gun”. I began to cry Jerry took Ginger and took x-rays. We waited and when the x-rays were back there there was the b-b. My god her friends and shot her. That’s why she ran a mile away. Everything was clear to me now. The b-b was lying on the back of the liver making it in larged. Jerry would operate and get it out I was to go home. This was the first time I was not with Ginger. I went home and cried and told my husband what was going on and he was sad I was angry he said to wait and see what happened.

The next day Jerry called and said the operation was done and to come and see Ginger I went right away. There she was lying their belly-shaved stitches a least 6 inches long. Jerry said that she had died on the table and he got a tube down her and be breathed for her and she came back. My God Thank you for my babies life She was to stay till she could get up and around. I gave her a kiss and told her to stay with Jerry and that I would be back.

Well need I tell you the anger that I had in me in my heart the boys that Ginger loved and trusted shot her now I had to calm myself because not knowing for sure. Well that was going to change. When I got back told my husband and asked him to go to the father of the boys and to get the story of what went on. He would not he did not want to start anything the father was his friend and he did now want bad feelings with the neighbors I stood there not believing what I was Hearing he went on to say get Ginger fixed and leave it at that. Now the abuse was going too far. I sat quiet for a long while what was I going to do how could I get help. The nest day I called the Humane Society they told me I needed proof I called the Sheriff they said I needed proof I called Animal Control they said I needed proof. I stayed calm and went to the neighbors; the boys saw me and went into the house. The Mother met me at the door I ask if they had a b-b gun we only had big ones I saw a problem in the dove cage and could I borrow it she said sure and got the rifle. She handed it to me I thank her. She asked where Ginger was I said at the doctor and she said she heard she was not feeling well. I took a breath and asked her if I could talk to the boys about when they found Ginger and she said they were busy. I told her Jerry and I found a b-b in Ginger’s back. I asked about the boys. She looked at me and said “What do you what us to do about an accidental shooting”? I said to help me with the $385.00 just to get the bullet out. She told me to go to Hell. She would not tell me what the boys had told her. Well I’m sorry I lost it and the b-b rifle was up against their brick house now in pieces I dropped it and went home.

I called everyone as before and told them what she had said and all said that was not proof only hear say I needed more. The next day I went and picked Ginger up I held my daughter to my chest she was still weak and now it was time to take care of her nothing else mattered.

Ginger got over the surgery and things went on. Now she tolerated no one except my husband and myself. She had to be held all the time. If she went out she had to have one of us with her. She no longer wanted to go for rides and she was still on the medicine and she was still loosing weight. All I can think was this whole thing just broke her heart and took her spirit. She trusted she loved and she knew they had hurt her. Now another 3 months had passed I had to do something My pleas to my husband to help went in vane. The goats were the next to help. The goats were selling well. And I hired a detective to come to the house. Told him the story and he went out to the field and found that there were b-b’s up and down it. Three of my breeders had shot in them. Now my lovely babies in the field were hurt. The detective would now go and investigate the boys and the parents. He got a full confession from the boys. They did it to see if she would run. The goats were just fun to see run they had done it on many occasions and it didn’t seem to hurt them.They even shot each other and now the youngest was going to the doctor to get shot out of his arm. Now I had this wonderful confession and signed by the family and if this is not proof what is? Now I made my calls again and told them what I had. Now I was told that in this county it is not illegal to shoot a dog a goat any animal. There was nothing they could do. Nothing I could do. My heart sank my poor daughter my poor babies in the field could not be protected.

Ginger got worse; she went from 8.8 pounds to 3.3 pounds. I fed her with a cocktail fork because she would not eat on her own anymore; this was not a problem for me. I loved the time together And she was so cute about it If this were our life than we would do it till she trusted again till she forgot this horrible thing that happened to her. I would be there for her and never let her down. Than one night she fell over and went into seizure. Back to Jerry the vet now it was every week. It was now the medicine that was her enemy. It had made her an epleptic. Jerry said that her life would be of not good quality and that she was only to get worse. I had to make a decision Jerry and I looked at her because he was out of town and she had had a seizure that seemed not to stop so I went to another vet and they took blood from her juggler vein she was so small this was the only way. But now she had a bruise that covered her neck chest and belly. Jerry never did this to her. Jerry left us. Believe me we stayed for hours we went outside we walked and 5pm we went back in I gave her to Jerry and told him I could not do it he would have to for me (worst memory I have) never again will I do this. My daughter now lay at my side in the car dead. A ride that takes 1/2 hour took 2 hours. My husband help me bury her when he got home from work because it was not a good excuse to leave for to help me (he was with the company 30 years). I cried for days and was told it “It’s just a dog”.

That was it I got a divorce and got the farm and now with the pygmy goats I raise Chihuahua’s because no one little person could take her place. I had to have a bunch. Now the house is full of little feet running and the babies are wonderful. No one is caged AKC approved and all have love and are paper-trained. They have there own front yard to catch the rays but no longer go on walk about by themselves. And when they go out of this house and are adopted they can come back free for boarding or if the parents need to find a new home that will allow pets Does not matter how long just as long and they keep in touch. If told to find a new home for them it is done. Ginger I see in all but not yet to see the complete package. I am surrounded by love from my little people with fur.

And something else because of the computer I meet a wonderful man. We meet in a chatroom. He is wonderful and loves the babies and the farm as much as I do. We will marry soon.

This story took all of 10 years plus 6 to write the anger is gone in me. I have done something that needed to be done for so long. I thank you for your time and hope something I said will help someone in someway.

Marie