Jennie

JENNIE'S STORY
THE PUPPY THAT NOBODY WANTED

Jennie is a very tiny Jack Russell Terrier. She is, in fact, Sarah and Holly’s
baby sister, having the same parents.

She was born in September of 2004. Her littermates found permanent
homes as soon as they were old enough. It seems that no one wanted
Jennie. It may have been her dwarf size that discouraged people from
giving her a home, or it might have been the ears. Jack Russells are
supposed to have ears that turn down and flop over. Jennie’s ears stand
straight up and she has already been mistaken for a Chihuahua on two
occasions in the one week that she has lived with us. In any event, others
may think she’s “ugly”, but we have found that her loving personality by far
makes up for the way she looks.

Jennie is actually a carbon copy of her big sister, Sarah. Looking back,
Sarah was also very small and looked pretty much the same as Jennie does
now. Sarah did eventually grow up and become a beautiful Jack Russell. I
just have the feeling that Jennie will follow in her sister’s footprints.

We met Jennie for the first time on Christmas Day, 2004, when we went to
Shelly’s house for dinner. She was scooting around trying to get attention,
and she definitely got John’s attention. When it was time to go home that
evening, John decided we had to take her home and give her a chance at a
good life, even though we both agreed that we would not bring anymore
dogs home for the time being. I believe we made the right decision
because Jennie fits right into our family (even though some people think we
both need to have our heads examined having 17 dogs living with us.
Sometimes I think we need to have our heads examined, but actually they
are all clean, very well behaved dogs that get along well together. They
really make our lives complete.) I won’t mention the fact that when I
peeked around the corner into the living room this morning, John had Jennie
on his lap and was actually talking “baby talk” to her. (Ooops, I wasn’t going
to mention that.)

So Jennie will live out her life with us, her two sisters, and the rest of our
little clan. The important thing is that she finally has a permanent home
where she will be cared for and loved, Chihuahua ears and all.

Please check back when the 2005 pictures are being published to watch
Jennie grow up.

Yesterday at 2:45 pm I lost a big piece of my heart. My sweet Jennie, you began
your journey to the Bridge. Once again our hearts are broken. But we feel we
gave you one last gift of love … setting you free of the pain you must have been in
although you never complained.

Last year on September 25 we dropped you off at the vet to have your teeth
cleaned. He discovered a lump at the side of your neck and removed a small piece
to send to the lab for a biopsy. A few days later he called to say the lump was a
very aggressive cancer that would spread throughout your body. Needless to say,
we were in shock. You had just turned 15 years old and there were no options for
treatment.

Over the months the little lump grew and became the size of a lemon sticking out of
the side of your neck. But you never once complained. You loved life too much to
complain and you acted completely like your normal self, always getting so excited at
feeding time. We took you to the vet every month and he was quite impressed with
your condition but kept reminding us that it was a terminal cancer that would soon
take your life. You refused to accept that and lived a good quality of life for six
months. But suddenly things started to change.

You still wanted to eat but the food just wouldn’t stay down. You lost weight and
the sparkle left your beautiful eyes. You were trying to let us know it was time.

So we gave you that last gift of pain-free peace even though it broke our hearts.
You were with us for nearly 16 years. Now you are with your mother, Bailey, and
your sisters, Sarah and Holly.

You will never again be known as “the puppy that nobody wanted”. We wanted you
more than anything and you will always live on in our hearts. Rest in peace, little
one.