A tribute to Maggie the Dog

My Uncle Pat has always been very fond of dogs. He has especially loved
Springer Spaniels. When his Springer named Bridget crossed the Rainbow
Bridge a few years ago he was devastated. He went without canine
companionship for quite a while. Then he heard about a Springer out in
Arizona that needed a forever home.

Pat drove out to Arizona and met Maggie and fell in love with her. She
had been rescued by the Arizona people from a kill shelter in New
Mexico. She had also been badly abused. On the drive from Chandler to
her forever home in California she rode almost the whole way in the
passenger footwell. Her first meaningful experience was when Uncle Pat
stopped at McDonalds and got her her own hamburger. Getting a McDonalnds
hamburger remained one of her favorite things to do.

She adjusted well to living in California, but because she had been so
badly abused as a puppy she remained shy and kind of timid. Maggie spent
a lot of time in her "dog box", a comfortable dog bed in the corner of
the living room. She loved to play with her cousin Cali, Grandmeowmie's
Springer. She also got along very well with the kitties that come by
Uncle Pat's house. When Cali crossed the Rainbow Bridge Maggie was very
sad for a while, but she endured. Then when Grandmeowmie adopted Pearl,
Maggie made the required adjustment again. Pearl is a Coonhound, not a
Springer, so Maggie had to make a fairly large adjustment, but she did.
Maggie and Pearl became buddies, and loved to spend time with each other.

Maggie managed to train Uncle Pat very well. She trained him to take her
to Starbucks and to share his frappucinos with her. And she trained the
people at Starbucks to fix her her very own fraps in sample cups.

A few years ago Maggie started having seizures. They were pretty scary -
she would often bite her own flews and get all bloody. The vet tried a
bunch of different drugs and doses but nothing seemed to really control
the seizures. Then just a few months ago they went to a specialist in
Orange County who prescribed a new drug. This new drug was wonderful!
Instead of having a seizure every couple of weeks, she went two months
without one!

But then earlier today her medical problems caught up with her. She had
a series of massive seizures and a stroke. She left for the Rainbow
Bridge while Uncle Pat held her in his arms at the vet's office.

She has been Pat's constant companion. He went almost everywhere with
her. It was very rare to see Pat anywhere without Maggie. We are so very
sad for Uncle Pat, and we will be purring for him as much as we can.

Amelia