Meet Zoe.
Zoe is the best little dog you could ever know.
I always wanted a dog. While with my ex I had pet rats (who are amazing pets), but we lived in an apartment so I didn't feel right getting a dog. Besides, my ex was not the best at being responsible for pets. That relationship went downhill after my dad died, the ex got abusive, and I eventually got out.
A year later I felt it was time to finally get a dog. I contacted the various animal foster groups and shelters, and it seemed like every time I found a dog that would match my home and lifestyle, they were already adopted.
In January of 2013, the local animal shelter had a small influx of dogs for adoption. My first choice, based on the descriptions, was a sheltie-corgi mix named "Clover." When I got to the shelter, she was already adopted. So next, I wanted to see this puggle named "Yvette."
"Someone finally wants to look at the puggles!" the shelter worker said excitedly. Apparently "Yvette" and her sister "Estelle" were left outside the shelter in a crate just after Christmas. It had been a cold winter too, and the only reason they were noticed was because someone said "You know there's a crate of dogs out there?"
Long story short, "Yvette" was this perky, curious, happy little dog and I fell in love with her immediately. I renamed her Zoe (after the character in Firefly because she's a Browncoat), and a week later, after she was spayed, I got to bring her home.
Zoe rescued me as much as I rescued her. On days when depression really hit and I didn't want to get out of bed, I had this little dog with the biggest personality and most expressive face depending on me. And my reward was love and laughs and sloppy kisses. When my now-husband first moved in when we were dating, she immediately adopted him too.
Words cannot describe how she would brighten up the day. She thought everyone was worthy of love and friendship, and greeted everyone with smiles and tail wags.
Unfortunately last year she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, and in the past week and a half or so it took a turn for the worse.
As of this writing, she's resting comfortably by my feet, perking up at the word "cookie" (we're spoiling her rotten right now), but she's having a rough time breathing. She's had two emergency vet visits since Friday: One because she fainted and collapsed, and another because she could no longer breathe comfortably. Her heart is just too big.
Tonight we made the heart-wrenching decision to have a mobile vet visit this coming weekend, and we can say our final goodbyes.
Since she was a shelter dog, we don't know her exact age. She's been in my life for just over 8 years, so she is somewhere between 9-10 years old. (She'd convince you she's still a puppy.) If there was ever a dog who deserved immortality, she'd be at the top of the list.
I write this post as a way to immortalize her on the internet, but also share how special she is. I will be naming a bag pattern after her...I haven't yet decided if it will be one of the two I have already made, or if it will be a future pattern I haven't yet designed...and a portion of the proceeds from sales of those bags (and the pattern if I choose to sell it) will go to the shelter where I first met little miss Zoe and my family started to become whole.
As the title states, the blog itself will be on hold for a bit. Last weekend I intended to write a bunch of posts, but we were focused on making her comfortable. This week has been rough, and we will need time to heal. I will probably spend time in the workshop to distract myself from the pain of losing her, but just wanted to explain the sudden pause in blog posts, along with how she will have her own little legacy in the shop.
Thanks for reading. I think it's time to give her another cuddle and a cookie. (If you have a pet, please give them a cuddle too.)