Golden Bond Rescue of Oregon

Crossed the Rainbow Bridge March 15, 2005

Sunny-dog (formerly Sonni, #198) came to us by way of Golden Bond Rescue in the winter/spring of 2002. Almost exactly three years ago. Sonni #198 was the name given to Sunny while in Golden Bond's care, although when we received his origional records it turned out the owner had spelled his name as we did. Reflecting his sunny coat and disposition I think. Ladybug had died the year before, and we'd decided for both Logan and Lopsi-dog, as well as for me, to get another dog. We applied to Golden Bond, passed their inspections, and began considering the dogs available for adoption. Eventually we drove to the Portland area to meet Sunny, and brought him home with us.

He got along well with the cats - never even noticing when a neighbor's kitten arched and hissed to try to frighten the Big Scary Dog away. Cats hardly came in to his notice. He didn't chase the chickens. He wasn't particularly interested in the sheep or goats. He liked me, and Logan. And he tolerated John, but was frightened of him. We figure there must have been some similar man who frightened him in his past.

Where Lopsi was willing to coexist with Logan, if she had to, Sunny was happy to do so. She could pay attention to him, use him as a pillow, pet and brush him without any discontent on his part. He tended to be restless, pacing or grooming a lot. But he was pleasant and good with Logan, which made him well worth while.

Lopsi died that autumn, suddenly from a nasty fast growing cancer. And sunny became an only dog. He moved with us to the dome house a year later. This time a year ago he was staying with Steve and Joana and their dogs Zoë and Jasmine, because we were living in a hotel room after the fire. Once we were back on the property, Sunny came back. He slept outside under the RV while we were in it (No Dogs Allowed they said), and then in the Cabin with us as soon as we were there. He was company. He'd walk with us if we went outside, or settle down beside us inside. Logan fed him (and moved his food around at times), and petted him, and sometimes sat on him, which we tried hard to avoid. He never growled or snapped at any of us.

Yesterday we came home just after five after a day in Eugene. John got out to open the farm gate that keeps the sheep and goats out of the house yard. But instead he walked over to the side. I thought maybe there was a sheep or goat down. No, it was Sunny, who normally is not in with the sheep and goats, more to protect him from them than the other way around. And he wasn't acting normally, or able to stand up. So we called our vet on the cell, and arranged to bring him right in even though it was after 5 and they were trying to close up shop to go home.

John carried Sunny (70 or so pounds of 10 year old golden retriever) in to the car, backed down the driveway and headed on toward the vet's. Vet found one back leg broken, and suggested that either they could begin to stabilize him and tuck him in for the night, or we could take him to the Emergency Vet in Springfield, where they have staff on for the night to supervise their patients. We discussed the trouble Sunny could get in to on his own, in a cage, but with an IV and a bandaged up let. And Sunny's history of eating or chewing on things he shouldn't, getting in to things, and so on. Decision made -- we took him to the emergency vet. After the regular vet had given him IV fluids and some meds to stabilize him and help him deal with general symptoms of shock. Evidently he'd been butted pretty hard a few hours earlier in the day - his temperature was low and he was stressed.

So another hour back toward Eugene and Springfield, with dog and hugely bandaged leg in car. With a stop at home to unload the groceries and scarf some bread and juice instead of dinner. Sunny was content to be sacked out in the back of the car, on the doggy stretcher borrowed from the vets office.

The emergency vet took a second x-ray, no damage to ribs, but air in his chest cavity which means it's likely he was butted on his body too - which I expected. They planned to monitor him and medicate as needed overnight. Then in the morning we'd have to pick him up (read John will pick him up, even though he's more my dog and John is *not* Sunny person) by 8 am.

This morning Logan and I slept while John went to pick Sunny up. Then John called - bad news. Overnight they'd realized there was still more going on with him, and after testing his unbroken back leg and tail concluded he had no feeling or control of them. Further X-rays showed that his back, at the base of the tail, was broken and separated by an inch or more from the place it should have been. Nerves were completely severed. There were "heroic measures" options, but overall, as a farm dog, Sunny's life wouldn't be anything like it was. We opted to bring him back, and return to our regular vet, and after spending some time patting him and talking to him, have him euthanized.

Now John and Logan have chosen a place in the pet grave yard section of our yard, and have come in to get me for burying Sunny-dog. We'll put a lilac bush, and some daffodils at his grave. And later John and Logan will make a cement stepping stone marker with Sunny's name on it.

Logan says we need to get another dog. John has reluctantly agreed, after some time to recover ourselves. So we'll put word out for the basic requirements - somewhat smaller than Sunny, short hair, even temperament, and with luck already house broken, and willing to not eat anything and everything that has been close to food. We've had quite a run of scavenging dogs, and it would be a relief not to have to deal with that in the near future. For the first time in fifteen years, since Caliban started swiping boots from the pineleaf house, I am without a doggy companion.