LuLu
A donation was made in memory of LuLu on May 29, 2009.
Thank you so much for your letter of May 27; and thanks also to the VCA Animal Medical Center and especially Dr. Patricia Lyons, for the kind letter to you about the loss of our wonderful pets, LuLu and Martin. We would be pleased if this note could help us remember the happiness they gave us for so many years.
We first met LuLu at an adoption fair in San Jose, CA some 14 years ago. She was sponsored by a group called K9Haven in Campbell, Ca. She was 1 1/2 at the time and she had been found sleeping under cars in the Mission district in San Francisco ~ completely covered with oil and grease. Like the serendipity that happens in life, she was the only dog left when we arrived at the adoption fair. As we walked across the parking lot, her foster mother held her up and said “Here comes your new Mom and Dad!!” It was, jointly for both us and her, "Love at first sight." She was a Maltese mix and gave us so much pleasure over the years that she truly was the "star" of our extended family. Our children and grandchildren, in Portland, Los Angeles and Boston, as well as nieces and grandnieces and nephews and grandnephews -- all of whom live in the Ft. Lauderdale area -- have photos of themselves and LuLu, down through the years, as if she was part of their family as well as ours. Last February, a year after we moved to West Richland from Santa Barbara County, Ca. she developed vestibular vertigo. It was awful for her. It lasted until April and then she recovered. Then, again this year in February, it returned. By mid-May she was still in awful shape, and then developed an infection. She was nearly incapacitated. We live in a 3-story home in West Richland and she could no longer navigate any of the steps & could barely eat. But despite her physical pain and suffering, she never lost her pleasant attitude and cheerfulness and was still a joy to be with until her last day. We will miss her terribly.
Martin was also a rescue dog, from “Rover Rescue” in Redondo Beach, Ca. He was about 7 when we adopted him in 2001. He was a purebred Maltese and we know he was abused in his earlier life. His previous owners had severed his voice chords, so that when he barked hardly any noise came out at all. He was rescued from the LA south central pound, where he was living in a cage with 6 pitbulls! The issue of his voice chords didn't stop him, however, from being a perfect little "watchdog." But his true calling in life was his devotion to LuLu. We took LuLu with us when we initially went to see Martin. He took one look and had stars in his eyes for her then and forevermore. During the rest of his life he was as devoted to her as one living being could be to another. The good life for him was, pure and simple, being as close to LuLu as he could be. He also gave us much pleasure during the years he was with us, even though he was never as obedient or warm as LuLu. He was far more adventurous than she was. One of our treasured moments with him occurred the day, over 2 years ago, when we first moved into our new home here in West Richland. We have about 2 acres and it backs up to a 25-foot wide irrigation canal. As we drove up to our new home, Martin jumped out of our car, looked around at his new surroundings, and immediately dashed off into the backyard. Next thing we new, he was in the canal, dog-paddling furiously to the other side. Since it had a very high bank, he couldn't get out there, so he just turned around, paddled back to our side and we plucked him right out of the water. To everyone’s knowledge, never before had he ever gone swimming, and never after that did he go near the canal again! Once was enough. In the past year, Martin developed severe arthritis and pain and also could not navigate our stairs. He had been in pain for much of the last 6 months with his legs.
We know both LuLu and Martin had wonderful lives with us and we enjoyed both of them as true members of our family. We miss both of them. We have attached a photo of them together and hope that others can see them and get some of the happiness that we had when they were with us. (Martin is on the left and LuLu is on the right, with the pink nose!). These wonderful rescue dogs enriched many lives during the years and are a true testament to saving animals from euthanasia rather than seeking out the purebreds of the world.
Thank you again for this opportunity to remember LuLu and Martin.
Connie & Nelson S.
We first met LuLu at an adoption fair in San Jose, CA some 14 years ago. She was sponsored by a group called K9Haven in Campbell, Ca. She was 1 1/2 at the time and she had been found sleeping under cars in the Mission district in San Francisco ~ completely covered with oil and grease. Like the serendipity that happens in life, she was the only dog left when we arrived at the adoption fair. As we walked across the parking lot, her foster mother held her up and said “Here comes your new Mom and Dad!!” It was, jointly for both us and her, "Love at first sight." She was a Maltese mix and gave us so much pleasure over the years that she truly was the "star" of our extended family. Our children and grandchildren, in Portland, Los Angeles and Boston, as well as nieces and grandnieces and nephews and grandnephews -- all of whom live in the Ft. Lauderdale area -- have photos of themselves and LuLu, down through the years, as if she was part of their family as well as ours. Last February, a year after we moved to West Richland from Santa Barbara County, Ca. she developed vestibular vertigo. It was awful for her. It lasted until April and then she recovered. Then, again this year in February, it returned. By mid-May she was still in awful shape, and then developed an infection. She was nearly incapacitated. We live in a 3-story home in West Richland and she could no longer navigate any of the steps & could barely eat. But despite her physical pain and suffering, she never lost her pleasant attitude and cheerfulness and was still a joy to be with until her last day. We will miss her terribly.
Martin was also a rescue dog, from “Rover Rescue” in Redondo Beach, Ca. He was about 7 when we adopted him in 2001. He was a purebred Maltese and we know he was abused in his earlier life. His previous owners had severed his voice chords, so that when he barked hardly any noise came out at all. He was rescued from the LA south central pound, where he was living in a cage with 6 pitbulls! The issue of his voice chords didn't stop him, however, from being a perfect little "watchdog." But his true calling in life was his devotion to LuLu. We took LuLu with us when we initially went to see Martin. He took one look and had stars in his eyes for her then and forevermore. During the rest of his life he was as devoted to her as one living being could be to another. The good life for him was, pure and simple, being as close to LuLu as he could be. He also gave us much pleasure during the years he was with us, even though he was never as obedient or warm as LuLu. He was far more adventurous than she was. One of our treasured moments with him occurred the day, over 2 years ago, when we first moved into our new home here in West Richland. We have about 2 acres and it backs up to a 25-foot wide irrigation canal. As we drove up to our new home, Martin jumped out of our car, looked around at his new surroundings, and immediately dashed off into the backyard. Next thing we new, he was in the canal, dog-paddling furiously to the other side. Since it had a very high bank, he couldn't get out there, so he just turned around, paddled back to our side and we plucked him right out of the water. To everyone’s knowledge, never before had he ever gone swimming, and never after that did he go near the canal again! Once was enough. In the past year, Martin developed severe arthritis and pain and also could not navigate our stairs. He had been in pain for much of the last 6 months with his legs.
We know both LuLu and Martin had wonderful lives with us and we enjoyed both of them as true members of our family. We miss both of them. We have attached a photo of them together and hope that others can see them and get some of the happiness that we had when they were with us. (Martin is on the left and LuLu is on the right, with the pink nose!). These wonderful rescue dogs enriched many lives during the years and are a true testament to saving animals from euthanasia rather than seeking out the purebreds of the world.
Thank you again for this opportunity to remember LuLu and Martin.
Connie & Nelson S.
