My name is Missy and I am 17 years old. Yep, that’s right. Born on December 1, 1997. When my original owner died, her extended family didn’t want to keep me, so they took me to the vet to be put to sleep.Well, the vet thought I had some life left in me and called the APARN hotline and left a message. Things were looking pretty bleak for me, as the vet tech had already shaved a spot on my front leg so they could insert a catheter to give me the final medications.
Just as the doctor walked into the room, the phone rang! Was it? Could it possibly be? YES! It was APARN, returning the call! They said of course they had room in the rescue for me! They had called back just in the nick of time! The doctor told me it was my lucky day, and she told everyone that someone would pick me up in an hour. So I got to go hang out in the medical “nursing hold” crate for awhile. I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, the whole clinic was buzzing with sounds of “Is it her?” “Is she here?” “It IS her!” And the next thing I knew, I was being walked up to the front of the clinic, and that’s when I saw her – APARN’s Fairy PugMother! She came in person to save me herself!
Fairy PugMother took me home with her, and I got to stay at her house for a couple of days and nights until the right foster home was found. She drove me to meet foster mom, and introduced me to the resident pugs and other dogs that lived there.
In the next couple of days, foster mom took me to a vet who cleaned my teeth for me. He had to pull quite a few, but after a week my mouth felt so much better! Within a week, a nice young couple came to visit me. They said when the husband saw my picture on the APARN Facebook page, he fell in love and told his wife, “can’t we just adopt her, so I can stop looking at her picture?” So they did! And I lived with them for about a year. But then they decided to move and didn’t want to take me with them, which made me sad, because I thought they wanted to be my “Forever Home.”
So I found myself back in another foster home, a year older. My hearing has left me and some of my sight, but I still give kisses when my foster mom comes home! I still have love and affection to give to those around me, but I can be a bit crabby and let you know when I want my meals. I totter around the house and go outside with Foster mom to walk in the grass and bark at nothing in particular sometimes.I sleep really nicely in the big bed and barely move the entire night. I remember when I was a young pup and thought that older Pugs were boring and slow.
You know how they say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Well….in my 17 year old lady pug opinion we just don’t have time for silly things like tricks when naps are the other available option. Now that I am in my noble years I can see the beauty in relaxing and taking time in everything I do. Much like people, I am wiser and don’t waste my time on frivolous matters. Eat, sleep, snuggles, sleep…repeat! That is what is important!