Remembering Lily ~~ December 16, 1995 - May 26, 2008

It was a gorgeous day, and one that Lily would not live to enjoy. Lily was recovering from a debilitating seizure in the emergency room. Several days ago when I visited her at the vet, I was encouraged that she may recover as she stood shakily to greet me. Today, she looked my way, but that was all she was able to do. I could tell that Lily was ready to move on.

I first met Lily on an equally beautiful day in the fall of October 1996. She was a 10-month-old tri-colored Collie who lived on quiet farm that raised Collies and German Shepherds. Moving to the big city was quite a change for her. She was afraid of everything, and it took her a long time to be comfortable even going for a walk. After having lived with so many dogs, she was lonely living with just 2 cats.

Several months later, I rescued a Cocker/Lab stray and named him Chipper for his lively personality. He turned Lily's life around. They became fast friends and great playmates, chasing each other and squabbling over toys and chew bones. Though shy and insecure when I first adopted her, Lily became the Alpha dog after Chipper arrived. Next a sweet King Cav mix named Holly joined our family, and Lily's pack was complete.

I frequently brought home lost and abandoned animals, and Lily was always accepting of whatever came in the door. Unlike most animals, she graciously shared her food bowl and toys with every visitor. Though she seemed meek and mild, Lily was better than any alarm system and ferociously guarded her turf against any perceived threat, including an evil neighbor. Never letting down her guard, Lily barked at this neighbor until her final days.

When Chipper died unexpectedly several years ago, Lily mourned his loss. Though she soldiered on, Lily never seemed to fully recover from losing her best friend. Now she is reunited with both Chip and Holly, who were probably the the first to welcome her on the Rainbow Bridge. Though we miss all three of you tremendously, we are glad you are together again. Godspeed.

It Takes a Village to Save a Stray

Our neighborhood is very pet-oriented, and you will always see people walking their pets or headed to the park to play with them. One very cold winter, a bedraggled Chow mix started roaming the area. Many tried to coax him into their cars or try and get him to come to them, but he would always shy away.

After weeks of trying catch him, we set up a central command post with me as Mission Control. Several volunteers drove around the neighborhood routinely to try and find him, while others set up feeding stations and a shelter. I would get daily calls and emails of sightings of the Chow we nicknamed "Travis", who found a way to cross very busy city streets and frequently showed up in adjacent neighborhoods a mile away.

But Travis always ended up back in Peachtree Hills. With temperatures in the single digits and desperate to try and catch him, we expanded our circle of help to include Animal Control, rescue groups, a dog whisperer, and even the neighborhood vet for advice on how to bring Travis in. Once he was captured, a temporary and long term housing solution were lined up until a permanent home could be found.

Travis eventually was captured by Animal Control. Once he was examined by their vet, Travis, sadly, was found to have a heart worm condition that was beyond treatment. Travis was already suffering from congestive heart failure, and heart worm treatment would hasten his untimely end. It was a heartbreaking moment, but the collective decision was that the most humane thing to do was to put Travis to sleep, rather than let him suffer an agonizing death.

But Travis' spirit lives on. Since Travis loved to roam our neighborhood so much, a Japanese Maple will be planted at the entrance to the neighborhood in his memory with the hope that he is finally at peace.