I, the most gorgeous toy Eskie, sprang up from my bed like every other morning. My family members were up and about getting ready for the day. Today was one of those most special days because they said I could go bye
bye in the car.

I watched all the cars and buildings go by and just enjoyed the sunshine while they drove. Except for an intermittent ACHOOOOO! I had come down with a cold. My family drove up next to a building I didn't recognize. She changed me out of my pretty collar with all the tinkling tags, and wrapped a red collar around my neck. I watched as mom wrote out a note. Then she taped it to my new red collar. We all got out of the car and I was SO happy for an adventure. But then mommy did something odd....she opened a door, pushed ME inside, and quickly ran out to the car and they drove off. I was all alone.

I looked thru the glass in the door and a woman saw me. She came out and read the note attached to my collar and cursed loudly "another pet dumped here - and sick no less! This is the third time I've had to call animal control this week!" She scooped me up, stalked into the building and dialed the phone. The woman was reading from the note attached to my collar, "I am RAINIE and I'm 9 years old. I get along with everybody. Find me a good home". The woman then shut me up in a tiny room without any windows or a place to lay down.

I waited patiently for what would happen next, but I was getting very, very thirsty, and it was taking my family SO long to come back for me! I finally curled up in a little ball and tried to make myself comfortable. Suddenly the woman came in and picked me up and walked me to the front door. She practically tossed me into the arms of a strange woman wearing a uniform. I didn't know her, but did curl up in her lap as we got in the woman's car. The woman spoke kindly and said I was "so cute, so lovable...how could they put her down?". I wondered "down where"? Eventually we came to an ugly old building that smelled very bad of many dogs and other animals. I was placed in a small cage with a cold damp concrete floor. I coughed again ACHOOOOOO! I heard another person in the funny uniforms say "well, that is one we won't even try to adopt out - not with kennel cough".

I stayed at the bad crate place it seemed like forever, only broken up by the daily visits of the "nice uniform lady" who brought me some better food, although she made me swollow ucky pills before I could have the food.

One day a "nice lady" picked me up and took me home in her car. She said sweet things the entire way. She told me she had a very big doggie at home so she could not have another, but that somebody called a rescuer FosterMom was coming to get me. The lady came and talked real nice to me. She took me home and washed the goo out of my eyes. She groomed me and let me sleep in a ball on her pillow. Not to mention the food - WOW!! I LOVE this ground raw stuff she calls "sirloin".

Then I went to the vet. I stayed really still when the vet checked me all over. I heard "healthy" and "negative". I was good while they cleaned my teeth.

The very next day, I began throwing up every time I ate. Boy, my tummy felt yucky. FosterMom tried many things, but finally realized I needed to see the vet again. FosterMom said "thank God for the Dog Bowl folks". Without them we would not have money to make me well." Even with some financial reassurance, FosterMom seemed in fear of me becoming seriously ill. I had not kept food down for 3 days now. I was concerned about my FosterMom's worried face, so I curled up in her arms and licked her face while we waited for the doctor.

Although I tried hard, I couldn't hold the yucky stuff in my throat and it went all over the floor right when the vet came in the waiting room to get me! But the vet lady was sweet and didn't seem to mind. She checked me out. Then I was wisked off to another room to lay on a table with metal stuff and equipment of all sorts. I had to lay still while they "took pictures of my tummy". "Now, how can they see inside my tummy?" They told us I did not have anything stuck inside my tummy and there was not much inflermation there. Inflermation must be food, cause I knew my poor tummy was definitely lacking THAT! I got 2 big shots so I could eat and not throw up. None too soon, either, cause I had lost almost a whole pound.

Then FosterMom had to go to work, and I got to go along in the car. People at "the office" don't like doggies - I didn't know why someone who never met me didn't like me - but FosterMom got around it by smuggling me in wrapped up like a baby in a baby blanket. We cruised past the surveilance cameras and security guards, somehow managing to keep a straight face. Finally! FOOD! Of course this time it was not the "sirloin" but rather "canned bland", but this hungry girl didn't mind. After a small meal I felt better and laid down next to FosterMom while she tappity tapped on a keyboard.

Over the next week I was able to keep down more food at each meal and feeling so much better. Lots of people were interested in adopting me. But of all these folks, one family stood out as the very bestest of all, and nothing was too good for me, Princess Rainie. I will be well loved for the rest of my life. I will go to my new home on Sunday.

As I cuddled in a ball on FosterMom's pillow that night, I didn't really know how all this had come about.....how much people care about me and how EskieFriends and the "DogBowl" fit in. I said a thank you prayer for helping me find my way to a new life! Woof! Woof! With that I laid down and dreamed about Sunday......

EFs treasurer Jill, mailed the check to my vet this morning. I was scheduled for another exam and bloodwork today. But since I am feeling so much much better, the vet said I didn't need to be rechecked nor have blood work done!! Plus my new family said they would take really good care of me and make sure I get everything I need. Thus, the DogBowl overpaid my vet $122, which will be refunded. My actual bill is only $283.64.

Thank you EskieFriends for sending money to my vet. You have a very big heart for helping a tiny furgirl like me. I love you all for giving me......a second chance at life! Eskie Hugs & Kisses, Luv & Licks, Princess Rainie P.S.-Now, back to my dreaming about Sunday.........and my forever home. I will REALLY miss my FosterMom.