Sallyrae DuBois. March 21. 1997-August 28th, 2009.
She was the best friend I ever had. I knew from the moment I first saw her at the local pound and by the shy way she hid behind her brothers and sisters, I had to make her mine. There was something about her demeanor, her sweet face, her liquid brown eyes. There was just something about, her. Her essence. I felt I had met a partner on this journey we call life.
I never felt called to have children. I always have wanted to save every little living animal creature I ever met. I saved baby bunnies with their eyes glued shut that my cats had raided from bunny nests and released them back to nature.(Boy, was that hard for Sally to watch. She thought they were going to be an appetizer) All of my animals companions have been rescues.
Sallyrae rescued me. I was in the beginning of a complete change in my life. Alone, uncharted waters, a new career that everyone said I would never make it in, middle aged and full of hope that this time it would really work. Making my living at something I loved to do and being able to support myself. What a concept! And Sally was with me all the way. At first we worked seven days a week. She was the greeter and general hospitality queen. I was just the worker bee. She knew who to stay in crate for because they didn't like dogs and who to greet enthusiastically with a wag of her tail and a bow. Things changed in our lives and we met my husband and his dog Nellie and moved to the country. Oh what a treat for Sally to go out and roll in unspeakable things and chase small critters, sometimes the wrong ones who in turn chased her back. Sometimes she didn't get to work after her outside jaunts because of the beautiful perfume she wore. She worked with me just last week. I had an inkling this was her last week after her diagnosis just two weeks previously. She had some special people she wanted to say so long to and she did. Bittersweet and sad were those partings, but I knew she nor I wanted it any other way.
Yesterday morning Dr. Nicki came to our home. Dr. Nicki was gentle and kind and we held Sallyrae in our arms on the floor and told her how much we loved her. She finally was free from the pain she had born. We made her a special place to rest just in view of the pod(my office) and she was placed there with many tears and pets along with a new frisbee, a new rawhide chew and her old favorite squeaky. May your journey be safe Sallyrae. My sweet angel. I know you are watching over me. I love you my baby girl.