Today I had Baby cremated. He died in my arms on Sat 11/26 of congestive heart failure. He was 15. Baby entered my life in June 1995. I had been at Bide a Wee here on Long Island when Buddy my Belgian Tervurian was being cremated after cancer. While waiting to bring him home through my tears I kept looking at the adoption center up the hill. I'll just go look to pass the time. There was this small dog in an outside run all by himself. I kneeled down and was immediately pulled in. Oh what a cute little Baby I said..I thought it was a puppy...I had always had big dogs, and while I certainly knew what a dachshund was , I never actually met one. I went inside to inquire about this puppy. Then I was told he had been brought in yesterday because his owner had died. Guess what, his name was Baby! he wasn't a puppy but 5 years old. I walked him, hugged him, and then he adopted me. Then we went back down the hill and waited together for Buddy. Baby finally settled down in the car and I laughed out loud because the way he happily snuggled in next to me I thought he must be thinking his new home was with me in the car..he didn't seem to mind being homeless :-) We did go home eventually and began our new lives together. I learned all about the dachshund breed over the years, the playfulness, the stubborness, the seperation anxiety that is common (he ate a couch once when left alone!) and the way he jumped and climbed up the wall when the wall phone rang. He didn't have a mean bone in his body (don't cut my nails or take my food though)and loved every cat and dog that entered our family over the past 10 1/2 years as I became a member of pointer and dachshund rescue and ended up adopting more than 7 furry kids...2 more doxies to add to Baby's family. His love and kindness was shared by all but the thing I will always remember is sitting on the living room floor with him in my arms as he passed over. We were surrounded by his 7 adopted brothers and sisters and they all were very quiet, respectful, and even serene as they said their silent goodbyes. It was amazing like something out of a Disney movie where all God's creatures gather around...I was so glad that I was privileged enough to be a part of it....so today Baby's life with me came full circle almost 10 1/2 years later as together we made the trip out to where we had first met. He was an angel sent to my life and he is still my angel. Together he and Buddy will sit side by side in a memorial space in my hutch, but in reality I know they are really running happy and well again on green pastures and they are stopping occassionally to run up to my Dad for the forbidden foods of this world that I know he is free to give them now, so enjoy the chocolate, the pretzels, and the chinese spare-ribs on the bones my little fuzzy butt kid, I take comfort in knowing that you and Daddy can see clearly, can run again and have no pain and I know that you are all in my heart forever...until we all meet again, God Bless and be free,
Momma Ruthie