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Etta (Gwen) 3/6/01 - 11/5/11


NeylasMom

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I feel a little strange writing this, as it's a remembrance to one of my fosters, not one of my own and I still haven't been able to bring myself to write Neyla's remembrance, but Gwen has a special story, and a special place in my heart, so I wanted to share it here.

 

In January of 2002, Gwen came off of the track and into my home as my 8th foster dog 2 months shy of her second birthday. She was a beautiful brindle girl who was terrified of the world around her. I remember a particularly frustrating first week when she refused to come out of the crate in my bedroom. She was also terrified of peeing on lead in front of me and since I didn't have a yard, we had to develop this dance where I would extend my arm as far as I could so she could get 8-9 feet from me and I would watch her out of the corner of my eye so I could slow down when she started to squat without letting her know that I was looking. Sometimes it would take us an hour of doing this "dance" before she would do her bedtime potty. In the 3 weeks I had her she remained pretty fearful, but she did start coming out fo her crate for hot dog bits from me and a few other select people. The thing that made me fall in love with her though was that she would dart out, grab a toy and dart back into her crate with it. She would do this until the entire toy basket was inside. Here's a photo of her in those early days. You can see in this photo she's even collected her track collar :lol:

 

GwenCollector.jpg

 

After only 3 weeks, a volunteer came to meet her. She liked her quirkiness and because we knew each other from volunteering she trusted me when I said she would be a good match for her home. I was thrilled and thought she had found her forever home. Unfortunately her owner wasn't completely respectful of Gwen's fear issues and put her in a situation where she bit a child (she was backed into a corner on a dog bed when the child ran up to her). After that, there were no issues until about 5 years later in 2008 when I got an email telling me her owner was going to put her to sleep because she had "bitten" (in actuality she had snapped at, but never made contact with) another child. They told us that they had sworn that if she ever bit again, they would put her to sleep rather than risk her being a danger to others.

 

After much begging and pleading, she agreed to release her to us if we would sign a waiver, but she gave us only until 4 pm that afternoon and in the years since she had adopted she had moved to NY! Thankfully, Paula from Forever Home Greyhounds was our savior. She immediately drove to the owners house and picked her up and held her until one of our volunteers could make the 5-6 hour drive up there to get her. Our volunteer then met up with me so that I could take her in as a foster again. The story then unfolded - Gwen's "brother", the male greyhound she had known her entire life in her former home had passed away, leaving her as an only dog and her owners had had a baby about a year ago. On top of all of that, her tail was literally hanging by a thread from a wound that had gotten infected and not been treated properly. I got her right into our vet who immediately scheduled her for a partial amputation.

 

After that, her tail healed up and we began the process of learning to trust again. She was pretty wary in my home (I had moved since I last fostered her), but I do think she remembered me as she would sometimes lean up against me and let me pet her, which she wouldn't let anyone else do. Over the next 9 months, she came out of her shell and became the quirky playful girl I had seen hints of the first time around and she settled in with my pack like she belonged there. If I had the ability, she would have stayed with us, but I already had 2 of my own. Here are some photos of her from that time:

 

Pretty girl:

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Snuggled up:

gwen_curledup.jpg

 

She wanted nothing more than to snuggle with other dogs. She knew better than to try with Neyla, but Zuri would tolerate it:

gwen_zuri.jpg

 

gwen_zurishead.jpg

 

She also LOVED to run, with my dogs after the big snow storm here in '09:

DPMar09_7.jpg

 

Finally, after 9 months, a couple came along who I knew would be perfect for her. They had recently lost one of their greyhounds and were looking for a companion for their remaining older male. Gwen wanted very little to do with them when they came to visit, which was typical for her with strangers, but they saw the same thing I had seen in her years ago and decided to adopt her. They took her home with them in June of '09 and renamed her Etta and up until this past weekend she has lived a wonderful happy life with them and her male siblings.

 

This past Friday her owners let me know that she had been diagnosed with osteo. I had hoped to visit with her on Sunday, but unfortunately they found out that she had fractured her leg and they had to let her go on Saturday. She was running and playing with her brother as recently as Thursday so it came as a total surprise. It saddens me that yet another pup was taken by this disease and that it had to be so suddenly. I will always be sad that I didn't get the chance to see her one last time. I've been lucky enough to see her at many open house events since she was adopted and to watch her while her owners were out of town. It always made me happy that she remembered me and greeted me with her little stump of a tail wagging furiously. I am grateful though that she finally found the perfect forever home. Her time there was too short, especially after the rough road she traveled to get there, but at least she knew what a truly loving home was like.

 

I hope you are out there running like crazy with Neyla and your brothers who have gone before you.

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Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart

"The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong."

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I'm so sorry for Etta's loss.

 

Run free, Etta. Look for a big brindle girl named Honey. She'll let you snuggle with her.

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Marc and Myun plus Starbuck (the cat)
Pinky my AWOL girl, wherever you are, I miss you.
Angels Honey (6/30/99-11/3/11) Nadia (5/11/99-6/4/12) Kara (6/5/99-7/17/12) Cleo (4/13/2000-4/19/2014)

Antnee (12/1/2002=2/20/17)

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What a beauty she was, and what a treasure to those who took the time to know her. I'm so sorry she had to leave.

 

Godspeed, sweet pea.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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what a beautiful girl :cry1 :cry1 :cry1

Kim and Bruce - with Rick (Rick Roufus 6/30/16) and missing my sweet greyhound Angels Rainey (LG's Rainey 10/4/2000 - 3/8/2011), Anubis (RJ's Saint Nick 12/25/2001 - 9/12/12) and Zeke (Hey Who Whiz It 4/6/2009 - 7/20/2020) and Larry (PTL Laroach 2/24/2007 - 8/2/2020) -- and Chester (Lab) (8/31/1990 - 5/3/2005), Captain (Schipperke) (10/12/1992 - 6/13/2005) and Remy (GSP) (?/?/1998 - 1/6/2005) at the bridge
"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." -- Ernest Hemmingway

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What a lovely tribute - thank you for sharing her story with us. Etta was a lucky girl to have found her retirement guardian in you.

 

Run pain free forever beautiful girl.

Deb, and da Croo
In my heart always, my Bridge Angels - Macavity, Tila the wannabe, Dexter, CDN Cold Snap (Candy), PC Herode Boy, WZ Moody, Poco Zinny, EM's Scully, Lonsome Billy, Lucas, Hurry Hannah, Daisy (Apache Blitz), Sadie (Kickapoo Kara), USS Maxi, Sam's Attaboy, Crystal Souza, Gifted Suzy, Zena, and Jetlag who never made it home.

http://www.northernskygreyhounds.com

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Such a beautiful girl. So sorry for her loss to you and her owners.

 

I do hate cancer. It is the thief who robs us, everyday, of those we love.

Irene Ullmann w/Flying Odin and Mama Mia in Lower Delaware
Angels Brandy, John E, American Idol, Paul, Fuzzy and Shine
Handcrafted Greyhound and Custom Clocks http://www.houndtime.com
Zoom Doggies-Racing Coats for Racing Greyhounds

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Guest PiagetsMom

I'm sorry, Jen. Gwen was a beautiful girl. The suddeness of her passing is shocking, I know. If I take any comfort in our similar loss with Piaget, it's that she lived a normal, happy, active life right up to the last day. It doesn't make your grieving any less, but it is a small blessing to be thankful for. I hope those who love her can, on reflection, feel that way, too :grouphug

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What an incredible story! We are so sorry to read that osteo has taken another greyhound's life. Run free, Etta. :(

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Tricia with Kyle, our senior mutt dog 
Always missing Murray MaldivesBee Wiseman, River, Hopper, Kaia, and 
Holly Oaks Holly
“You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.“          -Bob Dylan

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Beautiful writing of a wonderful story. You brought tears to my eyes. Etta did have love and acceptance in her life with you and her final Forever Home. BTW, Paula from Forever Home Greyhound Adoptions is great. I adopted my Annie Bella from her organization and and recently did a temporary foster for her of a silly brindle-ticked boy who almost stole my heart. Paula runs a great group and loves the Greys.

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Beautiful Tribute!!!!! She was a very Special Girl.... I am very Sorry and I am sorry you did not get to see her for the last time, but you knew she loved you! :grouphug :grouphug

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Darlene Mom to: Aladdin, Sophie ,Pongo, Jasmine, Relic Forever in our Hearts Champ at the Rainbow Bridge.

Let a greyhound race into your heart Adopt

Bay Area Greyhound Adoptions INC. Naples/ Fort Myers Chapter

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I remember Gwen....a beautiful girl.

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Blair, Stella (DND Heather), Lizzie (M's Deadra), Hitch (Hallo Dominant) and House (Mac's Dr. House)

Missing my handsome men Lewis (Vs Lowrider) - 11/11/01 - 3/11/09, Kevin (Dakota's Hi Five) - 1/1/06 - 4/18/11 and my cat, Sparkle Baby - ??/??/96 - 4/23/11

"The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is, in fact, the most precious and valuable possession of mankind." (Theodorus Gaza)

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