The Zoo Crew - the Final Episode

Gracie: I always always always wanted a dog but the answer at my house growing up was NO. After I had a place of my own I just couldn't decide what I wanted and if I was really READY for a dog. Because I over-think everything. So I moved into my house, got a second cat and STILL was not ready for a dog. That's when a dog decided it was time for me to get a dog. I was working insane hours at work and needed to go in on a Sunday in order to finish some stuff up. As I turned the corner from my street, a small white dog lumbered in front of my car. I stopped the car and got out. Not knowing what to do I started talking to the dog. "Are you okay?". As I got closer I could see her head was lifted enough for me to see that her white fur was bloodied under her neck. Being the calm, rational person that I am, I started bawling. In the middle of the street. I once had a bad encounter with a dog, so I was a little leery to go picking up this strange one even though I wanted to help. She lumbered to the curb and I proceeded to call my parents in a panic. "What do I do??" I cried. Call animal control, go get a blanket and go ask your neighbors for help. I went to the house and got a blanket and then went to my next-door neighbors house. I explained the situation and my guy neighbor asked if I needed him to shoot it. Um, no, thanks, goodbye (more crying ensues). Next I called my friend Amy. She arrived as I found the little dog, now sitting in between two houses, obviously in shock. Amy suggested we take her to the emergency vet since animal control would probably put her down. So she drove and I held this battered, bloodied, stinky dog in my lap. $800 and about two weeks later she was finally on the mend from what appeared to be a dog attack. It was bad. She spent most of that two weeks in a crate hardly moving. I had to pick her up to go to the bathroom. I thought she was going to die. After two weeks of recovery, Amy and I were deciding who would keep her. She didn't want to because she already had a dog and a cat in a one bedroom apartment and I was hesitant because I 'wasn't ready for a dog'. After some thought I realized that after nursing this poor, pathetic thing back to health by carrying her to go to the bathroom, cooking chicken and rice so she would eat SOMETHING, taking her on walks that included walking from one end of the sidewalk in front of my house to the other before she was exhausted, I couldn't give her to a shelter. I couldn't stand to think of her sweet face peering from behind a cage. I couldn’t bear the thought of someone not wanting her since she was a bit skittish and then the inevitable destiny of being put down. So she became mine. I named her Gracie because even though I'm not overly religious, I felt like it was by the grace of God that she made it through.

Now I can't imagine Gracie with anyone else. She is my sweet little damaged soul. I've had a few clues that she may have been abused by her former owners, more then likely a man. She's quite scared of men and most people in general. She’s scared of thunderstorms, loud noises and loud voices. Her safe haven is my closet. She goes there whenever she feels like she's in danger. She's fearless when it comes to other dogs though (no surprises there considering in what shape I found her). Her and her little 25 pound self will go toe to toe with the biggest dog without question. She has some of the most sad and soulful eyes I've ever seen and it makes me sad when I think what she's probably been through. But when she's happy there's nothing like seeing her smile. It's adorable. I love my little Gracie, neuroses, under bite, crooked teeth, bowed legs and all. She's the perfect dog for me.