Of course I didn’t know her at
that first meeting but the adoption papers required a name for the chip. Since
she was tiny and seemed a sweet soul, I called her Sweet Pea. Catalans can’t
seem to say Sweet Pea any more than they could say Cupcake and any more than I
can say ocells.
They told me at the shelter she
was ten. When I signed the adoption papers they didn’t charge me an adoption
fee because she’s a senior. When I took her to my vet two days later he said
she was at least 16. He thought they should have paid me to take her.
Sweet Pea has an enlarged heart three times normal size. Her back legs are crooked and she walks funny probably because of a fall many years ago that wasn’t taken care of. She has no teeth and no upper or lower jaw bone probably because of some long ago infection. And because she has no jaw bones, her tongue is usually hanging out. But other than that, she’s in great shape and she’s awfully cute!
I don’t mind her age. Her photo told me she was obviously a senior and clearly not a viable candidate to survive for long in a cage at a shelter. I was lonely after losing Cupcake in early May, and she needed to be rescued. This is what I call win-win.
She was sweet and quiet from
the beginning, and little by little her personality has begun to come through
and she has blossomed. She has more energy than at first and can go on longer
walks. She seemed not to ever have gone up or down staircases before. She would
go down slowly, tentatively, and when we came home I would carry her back up,
afraid that, in this heat, the effort would be bad for her heart. Two days ago,
without thinking, I did the automatic movement I used to do with Cupcake, I
took off her leash at the bottom of the stairs. She just flew up all three flights.
When it’s time to go out, she becomes rambunctious and starts to dance around
like a crazy person, jumps on me, wags her tail so hard I’m afraid it will fly
off or knock her over. She had been at the shelter for over a month. I think
she has recovered from her trauma.
Yesterday I ran into an
acquaintance at the fruit and veg shop. I met her through her husband who was
one of the dog park people. I had told them the last time I ran into them that
Cupcake had died. Yesterday I told her that I had adopted another dog – a
sixteen-year-old Chihuahua. Sixteen! she said. But she won’t last long. As if
she were a used car. Some people just don’t get it. They may have a dog, but
they are not dog-lovers.
Since she came, we haven't done much becausse of the heat. I don’t know if she has weeks,
months, or years ahead of her. But whatever time we have together, we will make
the most of it and be grateful.
