I will never, ever forget the first time I met you.  Broken, battered, scared and alone.  Your eyes were like large pools of liquid amber, wide and wondering what would come next.

The gate to your kennel was covered with a sheet, an attempt to block the barking dogs and smell of fear that surrounded you.  Somehow your journey led you here, to an animal shelter, but this was not to be your last stop.

Days before you were found in a parking lot, dazed and bloodied.  The police officers brought you to the animal shelter and the staff immediatly starting treating your wounds and trying to ease your pain.

The day you came in, Victoria saw you and what she saw, I know she will never forget either.  That evening she called me and told me that I had to come meet you... that she had never seen a dog in such condition as you were.

I quietly slipped back the sheet and slid down the wall into a sitting position in your kennel, making care to avoid eye contact and help you understand I was no threat.  Your body shivered, I think I did too.  Tears welled in my eyes as I looked at you and began to imagine what you had been through.  I tossed you treats and tried to encourage you closer, to which you eventually began creeping almost into my lap.  I could not touch your head, but with the large wounds there, it was understandably so.

 

The next visit was better, you started to open up and wag to see me.  Victoria and I took you outside, got you bathed and the true Guinness started to shine through.

 

The first day

 

 

 

 

Bath day

 

 

Finally you were well enough to come home, and I fostered you until your wonderful family found you.  In my home you learned how to play and I saw a shy little dog become a goofy, silly and curious guy who wanted to learn more about the world that he missed out on earlier in life.  Guinness, you began to finally live.

 

 

 

Guinness, everyone who ever met you misses you.  You touched each one of us and I learned so much from you.

 

I will never, ever forget you.  I will never forget how far you came, and I will never forget that it still wasn't far enough.  My heart breaks, but I know you are finally at peace and you finally knew what being loved was like.  Guinness, we all love you, your family loves you.....  you will always be with us in our hearts.