Gretel was the unexpected girl in my life. The day was cold and dark, my emotional state was pretty much the same. I found myself visiting the animal shelter as I knew these poor animals had life much worse than I did and somehow this made me stop feeling sorry for myself. After cleaning my shoes to enter the shelter, I passed a few bunnies and turtles in the first section and then opened the door to the kennels. In the first kennel was a very immobile dachshund. I stared at her for a moment wondering if she was breathing. I searched the information about why she was there. She was a stray that had been picked up in an area of town that no dachshund would ever wander. The mountains would surely be her death from the temperature or the wild animals. Five weeks after a lot of medical attention to her body and mouth, Gretel finally would be available for adoption on February 23rd. Already having two other dogs, I wondered how having a girl would change my household. Would they accept one another? Would Gretel fit in? I have a friend who adopts only senior dogs from shelters. I asked why once, and her response was that she wanted to give that dog a good end of his/ her life and it probably was in the beginning. Those words echoed in my ears as I pondered the thought of adopting an aged girl.

It didn't take long for the decision to make Gretel part of my life. I accepted the fact that she was arthritic, deaf, part blind, incontinent, and hypothyroid. I didn't care. She needed a good place to live out her life.

Gretel lived with Chance, Tucker and me for 18 months. She had Cushing's Disease that got even more complicated with diabetes.

I held her while she journeyed across the rainbow bridge. As she took her last breath, I felt mine too. Gretel was an old girl. Gretel was gentle. Gretel's life ended in a warm bed, and not a cold mountain where she was found. She will be missed.