REILLY C.   

Hello Lynn:

"The Life of Reilly" 

We adopted "Chloe", who we called Reilly, through one of your adoption fairs at Vacaville Petco, on April 6, 2003. Your organization had gotten her from a Golden Retriever Rescue group in southern Washington state. I don't know if you recall her as I think she was with Homeward Bound for a very short period of time. Regardless we have loved her and she has loved us beyond measure. 

Through her microchip we were able to trace back through her journey to you and, subsequently, to us, to her original owner. She had been adopted as a puppy by a junior highschool girl in Montana. That young lady eventually graduated from highschool and joined the Air Force. At that time she gave the dog to her grandmother and grandfather who had a cattle ranch in southwestern Idaho. Having been an indoor dog, she did not thrive on a working cattle ranch as an outdoor dog with the resident cattle dogs, and she proved to be too much dog for an older couple to handle. They gave her to a friend who promised to find a good home for her. The friend was unsuccessful, on her own, so she surrendered the dog to the Spokane Animal Shelter. From there she was adopted by a family with two toddler children....not a good placement for a 100 lb dog not used to being around children. After a couple of weeks they returned her to the shelter that had a policy of destroying dogs that were returned. Recognizing that it was poor placement rather than the dog's fault, the shelter made contacts with local Golden Retriever Rescue groups in their area. A rescue organization, I believe in the Spokane area, agreed to take her on a temporary basis and she was fostered out to one of their members while they sought out a rescue group that had room for her. That is when, I believe, that Homeward Bound came into the picture, sending a car for her and bringing her to Elverta. I don't believe she had been with you for long (I have emails from Jody regarding food preferences, etc.)

Our first year was rough. Looking back over emails that you and I exchanged, plus others to Jody and various trainers, I am reminded of how "at sea" she seemed. Little wonder, considering her recent history being shifted from pillar to post without ever knowing why or when the next shift would happen. We worked with a wonderful trainer who helped us learn that we had a really well trained dog in our family. We were the ones needing training to unlock the inner workings of her mind. It seemed almost a year to the day that she relaxed and seemed to realize that she was "home." She stopped growling at visitors, became the model dog park participant (although she never gave up her assumed position of "dog park mama" who kept the younger dogs in line, breaking up what she considered play that had gotten too rough!) 

She was our office manager and official cat herder (we have two cats that don't get along...Reilly was always ready to get between them if she sensed that they were about to start a sparring match!) She was my "velcro" companion, and, I believe, would have had no limits had she sensed that either myself or Stan was being threatened. She kept raccoons, squirrels, possums, skunks (yes, two close encounters of the smelly kind!) deer, coyote and wild pigs away from our fence line. When we left the house we told her "You are in charge!" which she sadly acknowledged meant she wasn't going with us for that particular trip, so she would go take up her position under the window by the door and would be there when we got back.

She developed a special bond with my mother (a lady in her nineties) and truly mourned when she died three years ago (coincidentally on Jan 28) She LOVED riding in Stan's 1970 Land Cruiser and knew the sound of that particular key chain being lifted off the key rack. She would be at the door in an instant when she heard that sound, no matter how far away she might be. She loved her morning trip to the dog park, rain or shine, with her best friends, a retired racing greyhound, four Australian shepherds and three Bermese Mountain Dogs.

She had slowed down a bit. Afterall, she was a lady of around 14. Our wonderful vet had finally concluded that she was at least 1/4 Great Pyranees...maybe as much as 1/2. She was a big girl...108 lbs and not overweight, although only 85 pounds when we adopted her. We we're directed by Dr. Dave to put 20 pounds on her! She slept outside, no matter what the weather, by choice. She had a head the shape of the Great Pyranees, showshoes for feet and her instincts were definately not Golden....no retrieving, hated water. Her looks (other than size) and temperament, however, were absolutely Golden!

Yesterday, after a normal morning of breakfast, 1/2 hour at the dog park, and the morning in the office (our office is upstairs over our garage) she started getting restless. By lunchtime, she was obviously uncomfortable, retching a little, looking for a comfortable place to lie down, but not her usual spots. By two pm it became obvious that it wasn't just a little upset tummy from too many treats from visiting relatives over the weekend, but something more serious. I called Dr. Dave, who told me to bring her immediately. After x-rays and an attempt to relieve obvious gas with tubes, needles and laxatives, there was no clear diagnosis. Dave was relatively sure that her stomach hadn't twisted, as he could get a tube into it, however we we're told to come get her and keep a close eye on her, taking her to emergency if she worsened during the night. He sent his assistant to bring her out to us, but she retuned saying Reilly was down. We hurried back to the room she was in, in time to give her soothing pets and then, within two minutes, she was gone.

I don't think she suffered much. She was uncomfortable, but not in pain. She went so quickly we never had to make any agonizing decisions. She was as graceful in dying as she was in life.

We are already missing her terribly. I've been saying she would be our last dog...we're reaching retirement age and want to travel, etc., but who knows? Maybe after a little time passes.......we'll see.

Thank you for all you do.

Carole Chapman