Molly Bear Tribute

This beautiful painting of Molly Bear was done by artist Karen Goosic. (c) by the artist.

The people at Animal Guardian Network have put together a wonderful tribute video to our friend Molly Bear. Please visit it here, and please consider contributing to The Animal Guardian Network or an animal welfare organization of your choice. Even a small donation goes a long way.

Molly Bear Has Gone

If you have been reading along, you know I have been following Molly Bear, in the care of the Animal Guardian Network, for some time. Their last post indicated Molly was getting ready for a new journey. When I checked their Facebook page today, I read this post from Carrie Singer, President of the Animal Guardian Network:

Memories of Molly Bear.

OUR GIRL HAS GONE

(Saturday, March 30, 2013)  I sat with our Molly this morning like I did every morning with a plate of chicken. But today was different because she looked back at me with different eyes. Eyes that said, “I’m ready but I can’t begin this journey on my own”. As I felt my heart being ripped from my body I knew the day I dreaded had come.

I walked outside to catch my breath and separate the messages from my head and the ones from my heart. As I looked up I noticed how overcast the sky was. It seemed like the clouds had been lowered to carry her away.

I so desperately wanted Molly to be able to leave on her own. I wanted it to be on her terms. What I didn’t consider or expect was for it to be on her terms I would need to help her.

I made two calls, one to the vet’s office and one to Petra.

This afternoon in her courtyard, on her favorite bed surrounded by all the beautiful gifts she has received, with wind chimes gently blowing Molly Bear was assisted in her final transition. We held her closely as she drifted away. She left us as gently and as bravely as she came to us.

As I wrapped her up in a soft blanket while kissing her head I breathed in her wonderful smell. I hoped some how if I breathed deep enough I would be able to save her sweet smell forever.

It was my honor, my duty and my heartbreak to be her guardian of passage. It is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Now I am left with a huge hole in my heart. The absence of her spirit and her presence has left an indescribably painful void.

My eternal gratitude to all the incredible human beings that have shared Molly’s journey and loved her every bit as deeply as I. As painful as it was to write these words I knew I must. After all, you are all her family.

Rest in Peace, Molly Bear. Thank you, Carrie Singer and all the generous people who have made Molly’s life that much better.

Please remember, while Molly Bear has gone, The Animal Guardian Network and other organizations like them need our support. There are so many other dogs like Molly Bear who need rescuing, and loving care. Please support the animal rescue and welfare groups of your choice.

Postscript: I received this note on my Facebook page when my dear friend, Deby, read of Molly’s passing. I didn’t want her thoughts to get lost in the stream of Facebook, and have her permission to reprint her comments here.

For reasons not clear to me, Molly Bear’s passing has devastated me. I grew so attached to her. I guess I wanted her to live forever, so her spirit would show us that love IS the answer. But even if love can heal a broken heart, it cannot heal the wounded mortal body, and hers was too frail to continue. Has she gone to a better place? I hope. But what is tearing at me is that there are so many more animals, and humans, who suffer at the hands of other humans, and it seems like the cycle cannot be broken. I can’t continue to pick up the pieces of broken lives–animal and human–without believing that somehow, someday, we will get ahead of this and that people will learn to love all other living beings, and respect them. Somehow, though, somehow Molly Bear, with her sweet eyes and her gentle look makes me think that that day will never come, and that we will always be killers, cruel and heartless. That we would be so to an animal who would only give us love, never hurt us, is so wrong and so terrible, I don’t know what to do with it. Except mourn for the loss of the human soul.

Update on Molly Bear

(For more on Molly Bear, please see the precious entry.)

For some time now I have been following the story of Molly Bear on Facebook. She has had a dreadfully difficult time for most of her life and was rescued by some amazing people with The Animal Guardian Network. I fell in love with her beautiful, ancient face the minute I set eyes on her. She reminded me a bit of my own Ancient Annie, who spent the last few brief months of her life with us.

Now we receive word that Molly Bear’s health is declining. She has not passed yet, but it seems only a short time before she begins her new journey. Below is the message posted on Facebook about this courageous dog.

OUR MOLLY BEAR (please share)

Things for our sweet girl Molly have not been going so well. I am afraid to write much less think the words. Our girl is slowly slipping away. Each day I feel her struggle with where she is. She is not here completely and she is not gone completely. She has always occupied a place somewhere in between. Molly fought harder to live than anything I have ever seen. Her work was not done here. She had lives to touch and a message of hope to spread. She speaks for those with no voice who need so little to give so much.

All but 5 months of her life were stolen from her. And in those 5 short months she did more than many do in a lifetime. She has forever changed my life and I know the lives of many others.

When you are a rescuer who sees what we see you try very hard to insulate yourself; a person can only survive so many broken hearts. But this was not to be the case with Molly. Just as she fought to live, her spirit would not be denied all of my heart.

Please keep Molly Bear in your thoughts. And if you are on Facebook, why not stop by the Animal Guardian Network, “like” them, and thank them for all the work they do, on behalf of all the dogs like Molly Bear.

 

(Animal Guardian Network is a 501(c)(3) charity providing a lifeline to those in need. Animal Guardian Network’s mission: to rescue, safeguard, heal, rehabilitate, adopt and advocate for animals in need; alleviate their suffering; provide disadvantaged pet guardians dignified assistance and aftercare services; educate people about proper animal care; inspire compassion and respect for all animals.)

I Have Fallen In Love

Molly sun-napping. Check out her tail.

There is an organization called Animal Guardian Network, an animal shelter out of Cave Creek, Arizona, and they have a page on Facebook (who doesn’t these days) where they post photos of the animals they care for. They are a 501c3 non-profit and their mission statement reads, in part: “to rescue, safeguard, heal, rehabilitate, adopt and advocate for animals in need; alleviate their suffering; provide disadvantaged pet guardians dignified assistance and aftercare services; educate people about proper animal care; inspire compassion and respect for all animals.”

Now, I have to tell you about their girl Molly Bear. Molly Bear was taken in by Animal Guardian Network in October 2012. The first post about her can be read here, but for those of you who shun Facebook it reads, “This poor TEN YEAR OLD Shiba was picked up by Animal Control and taken to the county shelter. She is unable to walk and her little head tilts to the left from a possible trauma. Can you just imagine the terror and confusion this poor dog must be going through? We can not allow her to simply slip away, unknown and anonymously suffering to an unthinkable end. She is going to our vet hospital for immediate care and diagnostics.”

These are the kind of people who work at AGN. This is the kind of work they do.

OK, back to my new love, Molly Bear. Like most of us who are long in the tooth, she has her ups and downs. She loves her naps in the sun, and her special meals. Some days she feels poorly. Some days she feels pretty darned good for 10. But all in all, she is doing remarkably well. I don’t really know what it is about her that caused me to fall so hard for her. Maybe it’s our common love for sun-naps. Maybe it’s her beautiful face. Maybe it’s because she reminds me a lot of our foundling, Annie. It doesn’t matter. She’s just a sweetheart and I want her to live well and forever. Of course, she won’t live forever — but it looks like she will live well.  It’s just nice to know she has found people who care for her, and respect her age and dignity. And spoil her rotten. OK, they put some pretty odd sweaters on her, but she’s old and gets cold. I get it.

So, just take a look at her and tell me you can resist her. Of course you can’t.

The folks who maintain the Animal Guardian Network Facebook page send out updates on Molly Bear and all the dogs they care for. THAT’S how they get you. Just simple updates on how she’s doing. Today she conquered a stair. Yup. From being unable to walk in October to now taking the initiative to climb a stair. Of course, it was dinner time.

I haven’t told my Pack I have another dog in my life. Well, actually I have a number of on-line puppy-loves. But Molly Bear is one of my favorites. I hope I’ll be getting those Molly Bear Updates for a long time to come. Here’s a video they call “Dinner with Molly.” Just a simple video of some hand lovingly feeding pieces of chicken to an old dog. Those of us who have enjoyed the company of old dogs can relate. The simple act of an old dog still savoring a meal can mean everything. It means another day in their company.

Go check out their pages and fall in love for yourself. There are many beautiful faces. And please share the work they do.

Every Dog Who Needs a Home Would Write This

By now you know I frequent Facebook. Far too much. But I find a lot of interesting things there.

Tonight this scrolled across my screen. I am copying it here verbatim because this says it all … for ALL the dogs who need homes. Who abandons an old dog? Or a puppy? Or any animal for that matter?

I don’t know who really wrote this, but s/he has felt what this old dog feels. Maybe you can help this dog or know someone who can. Maybe this isn’t the dog for you but another one waits a day or a week away. Or maybe this is just like your dog — someone you rescued. You heard their heart and saved their life. If you did, thank you.

Oh please, oh please..don’t scroll by me. I have a name and it is Maybelle. I know you probably already have or planned to look right past me. I see what you see. I also feel what you feel. I am gray in the face, my soul is broken and by heart is crumbling. I hurt like you hurt. My pain however has been for years upon years. I know people say that I am too old and to write me off, give up and “let’s help another” but I beg you not give up on me. There must be a purpose for me. I am living on concrete floors and surrounded by loud noises and caged up like a criminal-this can’t be what is the end of my life. I feel like it never began. I have spent my whole life begging for only 1 thing..for someone to just want ME. Why did God put me here? I am not the fluffy white dog or the cute little toy dog but I am here and I am ME. So my puppy days turned into my teenage years and my teenage years have turned into adult years and now I am a senior and still I wait. I know you have feelings too so I know you must know what it would feel like if love was never given to you. If you were abandoned and left to die as a elderly person with no one there to care for you, hold your hand, hug your heart or even just look at you as if you ever mattered. Imagine yourself. Imagine your mom. Imagine your dad or your grandmom. You can die of a broken heart but you can survive on hope. I need you to give me hope. I need a place to finally call my home. I just need you to open your heart and help the one who needs to beat the odds. The one who has been asking for longer than anyone else. I need just one person who would hold me tight when it is my time to cross over to rainbow bridge. The one person who would not let me die alone. I know that is a tall order. I know that tears would be shed but you would have given so much to the one who waited so long. Give my life a purpose. My time to cross over may be months, it may be years but whatever it would be, you would have given me the only thing I waited a lifetime for..you. I am hanging on for another day just to see what comes my way. Thank you for hearing the prayers of the old. love, Maybelle the coonhound.

Maybelle is in a cage in boarding. She needs a foster ASAP. She is completely housebroken and such an easy keeper. Must go with no other pets or kids bc she doesn’t liked to be jumped on. She does love to snuggle and rest by your feet if given a chance. Angels will pay for all her vetting. (Atlanta area)- email foster@angelsrescue.org Nicole

This is from Angles Among Us on Facebook. You can find and like their page here.

There are hundreds of rescue and shelter organizations on Facebook, networking, trying to find homes for animals like Maybelle. If you’re on Facebook, at least share these pleas. If you’re not, feel free to cut and paste this into your email and send it out to someone who might want one of these beautiful animals.

Thank you.