Dear Alice,

I remember the first day I met you as if it were yesterday. Your owners called me and ask if I could take you and Jake your boyfriend. I had bought a couple of puppies from them and sent them to Westie Rescue several weeks before the call. Now they were needing a home for you and Jake. I told them that my funds were exhausted and they said if I would just come and get you for free.

I arrived at their home and they carried you and Jake out to my car. You were both loaded with fleas and horribly matted. The gave me your papers and I was ready to leave for home when the lady said the fatal words--- "Oh yeah, she might be pregnant". Well that changed everything. I had a transport set up for you and Jake to go to Westie Rescue. But now---- I couldn't send you. We arrived home and both of you went right to the tub. Gave you a flea treatment and a bath. My groomer was my next call. Jake left with in a week and you went to the vet for a check up. Yup, you were preggers. Clean bill of health tho. So we settled down and got you a nice big crate for when the pups came. And on November 10 I woke up to whimpers of newly born puppies ---4 of them two boys and two girls. George and Gracie, Hannah and Elvis. You were a great mom!!! But when the time came at 5 weeks you were done with them and we started feeding them for you. I laugh now--you were so forceful with them. You had been a mom before and you were surely ready to be just Alice. We had you spayed and you became a puppy yourself. The pups all found great homes with the help of Westie Rescue. You were up for adoption too and just before you went to your new home we had another vet check and got the bad news----heart worms. I was furious that the vet had missed this before but he said she could have just contracted it and it didn't show in the test. So you had to go through the horrible shots and pain they cause. I wanted to take you home after the shot and we got 3 miles from the vet when you were crying so much I had to take you back. I was sure you were dying. The vet said he would keep you and I could pick you up tomorrow.

I cried all the way home. The next day the vet called and ask if you had ever had seizures. "Never, I said, what's wrong??? " He said you were in the stainless steel cage and lunging at the back of it. I laughed so hard I could hardly talk. "Oh yes she chases lights, any lights, and if there is a reflection of light in the cage that is all that is going on." He was very relieved. You came home and we never tried to find you another home again. You lived with us for 4 more years and then one day you just couldn't get up. Back to the vet who said it was your heart and while we spoke you passed quietly away. The heart worms had done their damage--- you were only 7 years old. I miss you so. The fun we had with flashlights. You loved to chase the light. Well, my love, you finally caught it. Duncan and Hannah say Hi and they will be there with you someday as will I.

Love,

Pat