by Wendy Hunter

Courage is grace under pressure. ~Ernest Hemingway

Boo! Did I scare you? Did you jump a little? Well, my friends, by the time you read this, Halloween will be done and gone, taking all its ghouls and goblins with it. Children will have taken to the spooky streets on All Hallows Eve with plastic pumpkin buckets and paper sacks, weighed down with all kinds of scary sweets and treats. The dream team of Barbie and Ken will rollerblade through the sidewalks, wreaking havoc on unsuspecting ghosts, their sheets spinning like a whirling dervish. Witches sail through the dark moonlit sky, while Spiderman and Wednesday Addams sporadically stop to trade candy corn for candy bars. Have a Snickers? I’ll take that. Can you spare a Kit Kat? You betcha. Because on one delightful day of playing dress up, there are just not enough sugary snacks to satisfy a mummy’s tummy. There’s no sleeping on this frightful night, as long, skinny shadows creep around the corners of your bedroom and scroll across the ceiling like a vampire on the prowl. Yikes! Beware of the werewolf’s howls, the cries of the Walking Dead, and the one sound that sends shivers up every Trick or Treater’s spine, sending them screaming in horror. “Sorry kids, we’re all out of candy.” AAGGHH!!!

Life is measured in love and positive contributions and moments of grace. ~Carly Fiorina

It will be November before we know it, bringing the quirky and colorful tradition of Día De Los Muertos. It’s a lot like Halloween in that there are skulls and skeletons involved and bright face painting is encouraged. I like the fact that Day of the Dead is a time for celebration instead of an entire day of mourning. A lot of us who do volunteer work think of the many animals we’ve known that crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. Sometimes they cross before their time and leave us with just the memories we had with them. Quite often, we house dogs for many years. Our Sanctuary Dogs are ones who call ARF their permanent home. Many are not adoptable because of their age, but we love them equally. Quite a few of my personal favorite ARF dogs have lived permanently in the Senior Yard. If I were a dog, that’s where I’d like to live out my last days, lounging in the sun on a gigantic pillow. For someone like me, it is always a joy and privilege to write about these dogs. Whether I’ve had no contact with them at all or known them for several years, it makes my heart go pitter-patter to give them a voice.

No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face. ~John Donne

That brings me to the sweetest dog I have met in a long time, with a squirmy disposition and a tail that never stops. Her name is Gracie, and if you pick her up, don’t be ready to put her down any time soon. If you do, she will vocally scold you as if to say, “Hey, I’m not done snuggling yet!” She is definitely one of those dogs who wants the human touch all the time. The minute she gets adopted, her feet are never ever going to touch the ground. Let me introduce you to Gracie, a little peanut of a critter, who doesn’t weigh anything…well, maybe a couple of pounds. She’s the equivalent of a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream with a creamy caramel swirl. The five-year-old came to us from a local shelter, where she was dropped off by a Good Samaritan. It is unclear exactly what happened to her. She was originally thought to have been hit by a car, but since she had no visible trauma or wounds on her tiny body, it’s possible there may be another reason for her injuries. One suggestion is that something happened to her at home, and the owner didn’t have the resources for vet care. The so-called Good Samaritan may have actually been her owner, pretending they found her as a stray. It happens more often than you think, but I’ll give them credit for at least taking her indoors instead of leaving her tied up outside and racing off in a cloud of dust. There’s a certain place for people like that.

Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake. ~Wallace Stevens

It’s amazing how resilient animals can be. Many, many years ago, my sister Jill had a snaggle-toothed dog named Lucky. Lucky had a bum back leg and always looked like he was stepping on a pine cone when he walked. His leg would pop up, but he wouldn’t yelp in pain; it was kind of a reflex thing. He was a great protector of Jill and became a grumpy old man in his older years. Lucky never had his limb corrected and hopped around on three legs, happily chasing birds and squirrels in the backyard. I’ve written often about my tripod dog Hap, who never let the absence of one leg deter her from going on long walks, jumping on the couch, or riding in the car. I’ll never forget how tough a decision it was to have her go through surgery after a cancer diagnosis. She lived a good long life on those three legs, and I know I made the right choice in giving her some extra years. My husband was horrified about the prospect. “Hey, I don’t want a three-legged dog!” Which is one of the many reasons he’s now my ex-husband.

He who limps is still walking. ~Stanis?aw Jerzy Lec

As for Gracie, her walking abilities are limited, but she’s doing great and is able to stand now. She’s on a couple of pain meds and a muscle relaxer, and those seem to be a great help. The pain management program is definitely making a difference in helping her to stand and walk. Gracie’s still dragging her back legs, so the pain med plan will continue for now, and then she’ll be seen by a vet. By the time this story comes out, she will probably have completed her 21 days of bed rest. They are still not certain if she was struck by a car, if she has a spinal injury, or possibly parasites. Gracie will probably never walk normally, but that’s to be expected, and as long as she isn’t in pain, things can only get better from here. All the ARF volunteers are taking good care of her, and she’s a very happy girl, despite what she’s been through. Hopefully, once she heals, she’ll be up for adoption. Gracie will be with us for a while, and she is a joy to have around. Well, that is until you have the nerve to actually put her back down on the floor. “Hey human, my toes are cold! Put me back in your pocket!”

Animal Rescue of Fresno
4545 E Dakota Ave.
Fresno, CA 93726
Website: arf-fresno.com

Check out more animal rescue stories in our Pet Perspective section and check back every month for another animal rescue adventure from ARF. Advertise in KRL and 10% of your advertising fees can go to a local animal rescue. We also have a pet Facebook group for KRL and we would love to have you join!

Wendy Hunter has been volunteering with ARF since 2014. She grew up in Fresno and has been an Office Assistant with Fresno County for 7 years. She has been writing all of her life, though never professionally, and currently writes personalized poetry for birthdays, weddings, pet remembrances, etc.