In Memory of Annie
- December 28, 2002

Nancy Best, Poughkepsie, NY
12/28/02

I have been a volunteer with our local animal shelter, the Dutchess County SPCA, for ten years. Four years ago, the animal control officer brought in a female French Bulldog that was found wandering in a busy shopping mall.

I had always thought Frenchies were very cute, but I never thought I would own one. I have had German Shepherds ever since I was ten years old!

I took one look at Annie, and it was love at first sight! She was in very rough shape, no fur on her feet from licking them, and her pads were worn down. She had a lump on her breast and was not spayed - you could see that she had been bred.

After her single mastectomy (benign) and spay, I started working on her feet. I consulted an allergist/dermatologist and after allergy testing, I found that Annie was allergic to most things, grass, trees, weeds, etc.

With weekly baths and allergy shots, she was much more comfortable, and the fur grew back on her feet.

A year and a half ago, we found another lump on her breast. Following her double mastectomy, malignant cells were found. My vet is very hopeful that he got all the malignant cells, and every day with Annie, we count our blessings.

 

 

...Annie shares her home with Nancy Best, her husband Dale, and their two other rescue dogs, a German Shepherd named Lexi and a Pointer named Tate, both adopted from the shelter where Nancy volunteers her time and her skills, both as the shelter photographer and as a foster parent for some of the more difficult dogs...

 

 

 

Nancy Best wrote this account of her Annie on August 4th, 2002. Shortly after Christmas 2002, the cancer proved too much, and Annie's spirit was set free at last, her body at peace, held tight in Nancy's arms...