Pooh Bear, our miracle dog
This week, Christine Cowett Robinson, president, Central Aroostook Humane Society Board of Directors, shares a letter from Bob and Anna Saucier, of Presque Isle, about their experience with their adopted and much-loved dog, Pooh Bear, who taught them with faith and perseverance, miracles are possible.
It has been over three years now since Pooh Bear and hundreds of other dogs were rescued from a puppy mill downstate. The Central Aroostook Humane Society in Presque Isle received about 30 dogs, of which 10 were Pekinese. My wife, Anna, went to the shelter to see if any were still available when a woman who was taking the last two, one being Pooh Bear, decided she wouldn’t take him because he would be too much work — he was blind. My wife spoke up and said she’d take him even if he was blind.
Pooh Bear would not spend another day in a cage. One could only imagine the horror that little guy had to endure being blind and being in a place with constant commotion, noise and barking. He was also being used as a stud for breeding. Needless to say Pooh Bear came to live with us. At first we were concerned he’d fall down the stairs so we planned on kenneling him during the day, letting him out when we were home. When we put him in he shook terribly, whined and messed in his kennel. We realized that we’d brought back memories of his terrible ordeal. The kennel was put away, never to be used again.
Our family planned a vacation to Puerto Rico in 2009,only a year after we had gotten Pooh Bear. One of my coworkers told me about Christine Robinson, president of the Central Aroostook Humane Society, who runs a kennel of her own, so I contacted her. She remembered Pooh Bear and his terrible past and said she would keep him in her house with her and take good care of him. I called Christine twice from Puerto Rico, who assured us that he was doing fine. When we went to pick him up he let us have it, yelping, howling and sassing us to no end for leaving him. In the fall of 2010 we were vacationing on the coast of Maine, when one day we woke up to see that Pooh Bear was dragging his body on the floor. We rushed him to the veterinarian, where he tested positive for Lyme Disease. The vet also thought he had a blown disc and spinal damage. They suggested putting him down since he was blind and paralyzed. We weren’t going to put him down. We looked into how we could build him a cart to get around. The vet said we could try medications for a month.
Three weeks went by. We took him to the Presque Isle Animal Hospital, but there was no change in his condition. It wasn’t looking good for Pooh Bear but we took him home with another round of meds and continued working with him. Four weeks passed and still no change. We never gave up. One day I set him down to do his business and he stood, wobbled and fell sideways. The next day he stood, attempted to take a step, then fell. Over the next two weeks Pooh Bear took baby steps and started to walk gingerly, falling frequently. Pooh Bear was fighting back, determined to get well. I am happy to say Christine got another chance to take care of him when the family went on vacation to San Diego. We again got our sassing once more for leaving him. It’s been a little over a year since Pooh Bear recovered and is back to his old self again, running around the back yard.
Yes, even blind dogs can run and play, as long as you see for them and make their play areas safe. Pooh Bear has taught us a valuable lesson in life: never give up the fight because he didn’t. Now you know why he is our miracle dog; we are so very lucky to have him in our lives and grateful that Anna was available to visit the shelter that day Pooh Bear became available to us.
