Faith

Earlier tonight, we had to say goodbye to Faith. We should feel lucky. She stayed with us longer than what was expected. But we don't feel so lucky. None of us ever do at times like this. And yet, there is no doubt we are richer for having known Faith. And when another Faith comes along in need of a reason to wag their tail again, we won't hesitate.

Our sincere thanks to Catherine and Bill of Sheba's Haven for looking after Faith early on. She loved her time in the country thanks to you!

And of course, our thanks and our deepest sympathy go out to Kathy (Joey's mom) for taking over the role of foster mom right here in the Beach these last several months. She loved her walks on the Boardwalk, her trips to Grandma's, and her time with all the international students who spoiled her rotten. But most of all, Kathy, she loved her time with you. Thank you for loving her and for being right there by her side tonight. We did what we set out to do. We made sure Faith left this world knowing she was loved completely.

January 11, 2016:

If there's one thing I've learned from running a dog rescue it's there's no leaving your heart at the door.

When it comes to the rescue business, everything is personal. One minute, you're laughing with joy - the next, crying buckets.

Faith came to us just about a year ago. We gathered her up from Toronto Animal Services - West branch. She was at least 8 years old with bad teeth, a mass on her belly, and a heartbreaking way of cowering if you reached out to pat her head. The staff thought she fit the profile for an unfortunate by-product of a backyard breeder in the area. Suffice it to say, nobody came to claim her.

But we claimed her as our own with open arms and hope-filled hearts.

A veterinary exam revealed the mass to be a long-neglected inguinal hernia. Spay surgery and the removal of 4 rotten teeth fixed her right up and she was chasing imaginary rabbits at Sheba's Haven in no time. She could always find something wag-worthy to do in the back forty. But the problem was, she became obsessed with all the smells of the wild. She wouldn't come back to the house even to eat unless they lassoed her with a leash when the stars finally came out and her dinner was growing cold.

Always seeking adventure - our Faith.

In the summer, Faith packed her bags and moved to the Beach with new foster mom Kathy - in the hopes she'd re-direct her compulsive energy to eating regularly and enjoying civilized walks on the Boardwalk. She took to it like a frog to a pond! We were worried she might miss the Haven, but as it turned out - little Miss Faith had a passion for people and there were plenty of those! Foster mom hosts international students in her home. Faith now has fans all over the world - in Brussels, Milan and Brazil…to name a few places.

Over Christmas, we stumbled upon a beautiful family interested in adopting our Fay Fay. We were delighted and so was Faith. She took a liking to them right away, well at least after she barked her fool head off at their beagle before they took their first stroll together around the block.

We thought this New Year was going to be Faith's year.

We thought she'd join this family after the holidays and live happily ever after.

But we were wrong.

Faith developed a terrible rash on her belly. At first, we thought it was just an infection that would clear up. But it didn't clear up. This past weekend, the report came back from the radiologist after chest xrays had been taken last week. Faith has a mammary tumour that has spread to her lungs. We likely only have a few weeks left to spend with our little people-loving adventure seeker.

If there's anything I can teach animal lovers out there with Faith's story, it's the life-saving importance of spaying and neutering early. We don't know where Faith came from but we do know she was never spayed. We also know that it's the first 2 heat cycles a female dog experiences that places them at highest risk for developing mammary cancer.

We must try our best to look at the sunny side of things. Faith didn't get the dream family we wanted for her, but I think she would argue that point until the cows come home. We are her family. All of us. Whether she has a year with this family or a thousand years, it doesn't matter for the wisest among us who choose to live in the moment - like Faith.

When she leaves us, I've just got to believe she's going somewhere spectacular just beyond our sight.

All it takes is a little leap of faith.

If Faith could talk, I think she'd reassure us by quoting the immortal David Bowie:

"I don't know where I'm going from here, but I promise it won't be boring."

March 6, 2015:

Friends & Supporters, say howl-o to Faith!

We marched forth and picked her up on Wednesday…March 4th ( ;

She came in as a stray to our friends at Toronto Animal Services - West Region in Etobicoke.

Nobody claimed her.

So we stepped up for her!

We didn't hesitate, despite soaring vet bills of late (Zack, Rainbow, Jude, Hope…)

That's because we've got FAITH!

We always do, thanks to you.

So that's what we decided to name this little girl in your honour.

Guessed at around 9 years old, Faith really needed a rescue like ours.

Unspayed, bad teeth, and sporting a somewhat suspicious lump on her belly.

Repair work is underway!

Blood results show a high white blood cell count so she's fighting an infection yet to be determined.

She's also deydrated.

Discolouration of her paws suggests compulsive stress licking.

She also has a tendancy to lower her head as though trying to avoid being hit.

We're working on ridding her of that fear.

The lump is still a question mark as we await results from the aspirate taken.

One way or another, she'll need surgery - hopefully next week.

Once physically on the mend, we can focus on restoring her FAITH in humans.