To ABR,

I wanted to let you know that Tala, the wonderful boxer girl I adopted from ABR 6 short years ago, has passed on. She was the best girl I’ve had in a long list of furbabies. I always had small dogs and was somewhat fearful of having a larger dog but my children encouraged me to have one. I met several Boxers at the meet and greet occasions in Austin but just didn’t find the right one for me. Finally, I was put in touch with Tala’s foster mom and we met at the dog park close to me.  What a sweet and loving dog  Tala was. We all drove to my house so Tala could check out my house, yard and resident furbaby, Tinkerbelle.  She was not afraid at all and so patient when she met my hyper-active YorkiePoo. Took her about 5 minutes before she gave me a kiss and leaned heavily on me wagging her stub.  I was enamoured immediately; we exchanged collars, and Tala was mine.

She velcroed herself to me and that was our story. Where I went, she went but if she had to stay home, she patiently waited for my return and tucked Tinkerbelle safely in her bed and leaned on her to keep her quiet. It was comical! Tinkerbelle worshipped Tala and Tala tolerated Tinkerbelle.  She slept with me every night and clearly let me know when it was bedtime; one woof and a paw in the air.  No arguing, off to bed we went.

A few months ago it appeared that she tore her ACL and since she was 11 or 12 now (we never really knew her age), I opted out of surgery for her. She was already being treated for doggy dementia, so we medicated for pain and I was just careful to not let her overdo movement. After three weeks of treatment, she suddenly became very painful and vocal about it.  It was unbearable to listen to her in such pain and there was nothing to be done to help her so I made the decision to put her to sleep. The vet who attended her let me know that it was more than an ACL tear; it appeared that she likely had cancer that had gone undetected with few symptoms since she was slowing down from age. I felt horrible yet having this information helped me know I was making the right decision to let her go. I miss her horribly but I’m so thankful for the love she willingly gave for the 6 years I was blessed to have her. And thankful for the friends from ABR that she brought into my life. Her foster mom and I are now friends and she has helped me in grieving for Tala. Tinkerbelle is so lonely without her so we will be considering how to fill that as soon as our hearts heal a little more.  Thank you, ABR for rescuing Tala so I could enjoy the sweet soul she was for the six years God gave us.

Susie Wallace