The True Story of Miss Maggie-Mae
Happy Valentine's Day, Honey

Back in 1993, life was bopping along great with Crumpet, (my old Cocker-Poo
and my second "rescue" some 14 years earlier), and Brytni (my latest
rescue), when I answered the phone to a person from one of the local pounds.
She told me about this 6 month old Australian Shepherd who was deaf, and
that as I had taught Brytni American Sign Language, my home would be just
perfect for the double merle Aussie. I immediately said "no", knowing that
my hubby, Ivan, and I had discussed another rescue and he was adamant that
we should wait until Crumpet "met his maker" so-to-speak, and that he felt
that our small home was just not big enough for three dogs!

On this particular day I was supposed to be working, but the snow was too
heavy, so I had decided to stay home. (I am a driving
evaluator/instructor). Darn, 30 minutes after the phone call from the
pound, the sun came out, so I decided to take a slow drive to the Port Perry
animal shelter and check out the deaf dog and see if I could find a home for
her. I volunteer with an animal rescue group and maybe the perfect home
could be found! Couldn't hurt to go and see, right?

They showed me to the kennels, and there, on a raised wooden bed amid a
little blanket, lay the funniest, cutest and most beautiful pink and white
puppy I have ever seen, fast asleep, with all the other dogs barking and
howling around her. I gently tapped her bed and she jumped up, startled, and
then proceeded to greet me as I have never been greeted before. That little
stubby tail was wagging so hard I thought it would fly off. LOVE at first
sight. I bought her out to the reception area and even had the staff put a
lead on her thinking I could take her home and that my husband Ivan, would
love her as much as I already did. Logic then grabbed me by the throat and
took a good strangle-hold (logic doesn't usually get me, but this time it
did)! I knew that I couldn't take another dog with special needs into the
family home without us both wanting it. It wouldn't be fair to the dog
(oh.. er... OK... nor to Ivan). Well, upon this revelation and absolute
change in personality, I had the staff take a few Polaroid shots of her so I
could show them to hubby. We took one, long last look at each other as I
waved goodbye, and then I rushed home to cook a wonderful dinner... oddly
enough, all Ivan's favourites.

Well, guess what? It didn't work!! I couldn't say anything that could convince him that we should have this little dog. I tried everything... "this dog needs us"... "I need this dog"... "Crumpet won't be here forever and Brytni needs another dog"... you need another dog because Brytni isn't the cuddly type"... I even told him that this beautiful puppy was going to be put down in 10 days if the perfect home wasn't found, (the truth). Nothing could convince him to change his mind.

All the following week I spent every spare second on the phone trying to find someone to help this little pup and getting more and more depressed every time yet another person told me to "do the dog a favour, put it out of its misery, put it down". All I could think of was that the puppy didn't look like she was miserable at all... quite the contrary in fact, and she actually seemed to have an amazing zest for life. Nothing sat right at all. Allowing this dog to be euthenised for being deaf seemed so very wrong!!!

I had to work on the Saturday, so I dragged myself off to Toronto and
managed to complete the day somehow. The puppy only had until the following
Monday at 10AM when the vet would arrive to do the dastardly deed and I knew
there was no way that Ivan would shift his position on this. I was heart-sick and haunted by those beautiful eyes looking at me through the bars of the pen, as I waved goodbye to her, a little over a week ago.

I arrived home and opened the front door and was greeted by Crumpet and Brytni. I heard Ivan say "Hi Honey" but I ignored him, not having the energy to reply and pretending I hadn't heard him and I just got on with the business of hugging tightly my two precious dogs. Ivan yelled at me from the living room, determined to be heard this time, "Happy Valentine's Day".  I looked up and there, coming... no... running towards me, was my little pink puppy!! Ivan had found out which shelter she was in, convinced them to open up on their day off, and had then driven to Port Perry and got her for me!

I knew then that I really didn't know this man at all, but whoever the heck
he was, I would love him forever!!

Lin
Brytni, CGC, TD, ASL
Maggie-Mae, CGC, TDX, ASL
Olyvia, 14 weeks old, VSP, ASL novice

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See my little Maggie-Mae at:
http://www.htcomp.net/zap/maggin.htm