Dee Dee

This morning, I witnessed my sister making the hardest decision any pet owner will have to make.  Her dachshund started showing signs of illness last week; she was refusing to eat and would vomit anything we managed to get into her.  After many trips to the emergency vet over the holiday, it was discovered she had an inoperable tumor in her bowels that had prevented her from digesting anything.  She was faced with the option of letting Dee Dee go through months of chemo and recovery that could not guarantee a healthy life afterwards or having her put to sleep while she was already under anesthesia.  I don't envy her that kind of decision and I have to say that I am so impressed my sister was able to put Dee Dee's best interests first.


Dee Dee was a rescue dachshund that had been a puppy mill breeding dog who had simply been released to the streets when she was no longer able to produce puppies.  Dee Dee was originally rescued by DREAM in Atlanta, GA, from a high kill shelter that had picked her up.  DREAM makes sure that each rescue receives the necessary medical attention before finding them forever homes, but even they can't fix everything.  She had suffered a lot of mistreatment and abuse at the puppy mill; she had tumors that needed to be removed and only three of her teeth were remaining.  The fur on the back of her legs would never grow back because of the years spent sitting in a wire cage without proper medical treatment.  In fact, the inoperable tumor that was discovered this week was a direct result of the inhumane treatment and conditions at the puppy mill.

For the last nine months, Dee Dee has had a life that all dogs should experience.  She was loved by her owners and  treated as a member of the family.  She was taken to regular medical visits and was taught that not all humans will cause harm.  She was ridiculous and adorable.  My favorite memory is of her using her dachshund nose to pull the bed covers over herself and then twisting to burrow under them.  At my father's Christmas party this year, she was the bell of the ball.  Everyone fell in love with her and argued over who would get to hold her next.  She should have had many years of this kind of love to make up for the eight she spent trapped in a wire cage.

I can't save every dog that is being abused or mistreated, no matter how much I want to, but I can encourage anyone that reads this to not buy their pet from a pet store or puppy mill.  Please help stop the destructive cycle of the puppy mills and buy from a shelter or reputable breeder when selecting your newest family member.  My sister and her girlfriend were able to find the biggest sweetheart with the help of DREAM pet rescue and, even though she was only with us for a short time, this diminutive dog took up so much room in all of our hearts.