I first met Louie three days after our beloved cat Domino died and went to the Rainbow Bridge. We were living in a condo then, and not really looking for a new furbaby, but for some reason I decided to go to the animal shelter that day. I guess it was fate, because while I was there, the attendant told me about a puppy that had been severely abused and said they could not find a home for her. I asked to see her, and they brought her into the viewing room. She came over to me, sat down and looked into my eyes, and I could swear that I saw Domino looking back at me. Then she rolled over, and I realized that she was a male, but at that point it didn’t matter, I knew that he was going to be my dog.
we took him to our vet and found out from the beatings, he had two broken back legs that had healed and left him bowlegged, all his pads had been burned with cigarette buts,and we had no way of knowing if he had any brain damage. Well it didn’t really matter, he was our dog, and we would do all we could to make up for the rotten start he had. He was a three month black lab mix, and weighed 33 lbs.
About two months later we decided to move to a mobile home community so that he would have room to run and play. We also had a year old cat named Bandit that we rescued from a shelter, and the two of them bonded right away.
Louie loved his new home, and liked to play in the yard, he especially loved to smell the flowers. I guess he was a flower child like his mommy!
At the time I never realized how limited he was because of the abuse, he couldn”t run very well, but dispite all his problems, he was all heart! He had a spirit that knew no boundaries, and lived as if he were nothing but perfect. He was obedience trained, had earned his Canine Good Citizen Award and was training to be a therapy dog.
When he was two, he started having seizures, and was being treated with medications that made him sleep a lot. We felt that the quality of his life was so poor, that we decided to get a puppy to give him someone to play with. After hurricane Frances hit Alabama, they shipped three hundred homeless animals here to the shelter in Florida. We went ot the shelter and adopted an adorable little girl. She is a Border Collie mix (was 3 mos. old) and we named her Momma Cass. We brought her home, and the two dogs bonded immediately. It was a wonderful sight to see, for the last four months of his life, Louie was like a puppy again! He and Cassie played all the time and the quality of his life was so good!
Louie was always a very special dog. He was all heart, loving, kind and so gentle. He was my special love, an angel dressed in a dog suit. He never cried or complained even though I’m sure at times he was really hurting. He was always there for me, if I was in pain, or had a bad day, he always knew how to comfort me with his love and kindness.
On the morning of 12/18/2004 he had four bad seizures and then couldn’t get up on his back legs.The vet said there was nothing left to do for him, and we knew it was time to let him go. It was probably the hardest thing that I ever had to do, but we had to do what was right for Louie.
Don’t be sad my angel, for in your wisdom you tought me that I could live my life dispite all my problems with the same courage and dignity you lived yours with.
To honor him, we planted a special garden. We made a sign that says Loiue’s Garden, and painted the Rainbow Bridge on it, put a picture of him on it, and hung an angel holding a star that says BELIEVE on it. I can see the garden from my kitchen window, and when we sit in our carport we can look over and see his picture. It feels to me that a part of his spirit is always there to comfort us. We miss you so much, and there are days when I cry a lot, but there are also days when I remember all the good things!
Louie, I want to let you know that I always feel that you are near me, and sometimes when I look into the puppy’s eyes, I see your light shining there for me. Don’t be sad, for we know that someday we will all be toghther in a better place! Momma Cass, Bandit and Dino miss you and send their love to you! Stay close my “Angel”!
WITH ETERNAL LOVE
| LUIGI BOSCO ( Louie ) |
| Roberta & Frank Schepis |