RIP Georgia

Today, there was no gentle nudge
With an intense "I love you gaze",
Only a heart that's filled with tears
Remembering our joy filled days.

But an Angel just appeared to me,
And he said, "You should cry no more,
GOD also loves our canine friends,
HE's installed a 'doggy-door"!

- jan cooper '95

Most of you know that Dakota goes to an agility class, and has been since last January. Most of the folks in our class have been there a while, and we've really grown close to many of them -- and very close to their dogs, as well.

One in particular was a very special friend. Her name was Georgia. She was the happiest dog I'd ever seen. Her entire body wagged and she smiled constantly. She loved getting loved on, and she especially loved my DD who always kept her lap open. She did well enough in agility, when she stopped pretending it was the social hour. And her owner loved her deeply.

She wasn't a breed most people would feel a deep fondness for -- she was a Pit Bull cross, and except for her size (she was fairly small) she looked every inch a Pit. But she was one of the few dogs in class I trusted implicitly.

The only picture I have of Georgia is from last springs Agility Fun Match. She has a bandage on her tail -- the tail she injured from wagging it too much. It took MONTHS for it to heal because she never stopped wagging and was constantly either reinjuring it or knocking the bandage off.

Last weekend, she had a horrible accident. While in her crate, she tried to force her way out and got her head caught. And she strangled to death.

I can't even begin to imagine how horrible it must have been for her owner to find her that way. I can't imagine how much she must blame herself...even though it wasn't her fault. Georgia has been crated without incident for several years.

Her owner came into class last night to tell us the news. I cried, DD cried. The place was silent despite being filled with two classes full of people and dogs. It was as though even the dogs knew what was going on.

She sat with me for some time, loving on Dakota and talking. I don't know if I'll see her again, but a bit of my heart went with her when she left. And so, since I can't think of anything much else, I just had to say:

RIP Georgia

You'll be missed.