Liberty - Belgian mare, foaled 1997

Liberty was a Belgian mare who had been seized from her owner, who had neglected her for some time.  She was underweight and had no food in her pen, had not had her feet trimmed nor had her paddock or barn been cleaned for about a year.  The agency that rescued her had to spend a lot of time rehabilitating her and getting her used to being handled.  When that involves a 2,000+ lb horse, some care is needed.  We got to work with her at the agency, training her to carry a rider and get used to being handled by us.

After two years of contemplation on my part and a rigorous screening by the agency, we were selected to adopt Libby in November, 2001 and she lived with us until February 2004, when she contracted anterior enteritis (similar to colitis-X in humans, according to our veterinarian) and passed away five days later.  She was buried here on our farm, facing the home that she loved.  As sick as she was, she waited for us to return from a trip out of the country and she made sure she touched my shoulder with her muzzle before she collapsed and passed away.  Folks offering condolences remarked on the fact that her last three years were probably her happiest and she had to thank us for giving her a loving home before passing, and as sad as it was, I was glad we got to say goodbye.

Sparky, yellow Labrador retriever, born June 12, 1988, crossed the Bridge July 17, 2002

He was a wedding gift three days before I was married and was a wonderful "starter child". 

He taught us that crate training was not a bad thing - he made the Dogue de Bordeaux in the movie Turner and Hooch look mild with the destruction he wreaked in our first home.

He was a fiercely protective dog and loved his family.  He also loved swimming year round and playing with his Booda bones and balls until lymphatic cancer took him at the age of 14.

Below is Sparky (age 6)and my son Andy (age 4).

Ashley, DSH cat, born April 1998, crossed the Bridge October 2005

Ashley was our first cat and she was a gift from friends who had a litter of kittens from their Maine Coon Cat who escaped her home and decided to visit with the neighborhood cats. Ashley enjoyed Sparky and Emily but when Bridget arrived, she had a whole new outlook on dogs.

She liked her farm life here - an abundance of field mice kept her around the house and she was quite busy.  After hunting, she would sit in laps and purr.

Her favorite thing had to be catnip - she loved rolling in it and scratching it to release the scent. Ashley also enjoyed trying to chase her feathered toys and "fur mice" whenever she got the chance.  Even as she aged, there was a lot of "kitten" still left in her.

Unfortunately, she made a bad decision to go near the road (which she never did before) and was hit by a car.  She almost made it across the road but the car had caught her left hind leg, shattering it in three places.  Ashley made it back to the house (quite a distance even if one is able bodied), where the sad decision was made to have her cross the Bridge early as the nerves in the damaged leg were destroyed and she had no feeling in the crushed leg.  She is buried on the farm where she overlooks the barn where she did a lot of mousing in her day.

Pudgie's Bashful Emily lost her battle with cancer on November 30, 2005 at the age of 10.

She was a tri colored Basset Hound with a sense of humor... her favorite trick was to play Cops and Robbers and she was always the robber. We could pretend to shoot her and she would drop from a full run to her side, still wagging her tail.  She loved a good belly rub.

We miss her antics and her melodious bay... she did not bay often - it was usually when Bridget started whining and she would bay as if to tell her to "Be quiet!"  Bridget would get her back by knocking over the garbage can and waiting for Emily to be waist deep in the can.  When I came down to scold them, Emily would be caught and Bridget innocently stood wagging her tail a mile a minute with a toy in her mouth as if to say, "It wasn't me!"

Emily loved the cats - and they tolerated her well.  I like to think they are all over the Bridge enjoying the sunshine together now.  Emily and Ashley liked to sun themselves on warm days.

She also loved the car... not unusual to see her nose up to the window and if it was open, enjoying the feeling of the wind in her ears!

Ears to you, Emily!