My name is Isis. I know I'm not pretty to look at. That's because I'm the result of a
puppy mill breeding stock. I don't even know how old I am. They tell me I'm between
18 and 24 months old.

My life has been one of neglect, abuse and making puppies. My new life began on
January 15, 2002. The day I was rescued from my owners. The Pueblo Animal Control
came in and took me to some vets that were standing by to help me. After getting some
of my wounds treated and some needed shots, I was taken to some very nice people. All
of a sudden I was getting a hug. Wow, I thought, this is nice! The next thing I know I'm in
a car with these people. They are petting me, talking nice to me, shedding a tear for me
and showing me something I'd never known before, KINDNESS!!!

As you can see, Isis has wounds all over her body. The above picture is of her left front leg. While they are now being treated and healing, nothing can make up for the abuse that caused them, except a further lifetime of love.

Isis is only one of many stories like hers. We are very happy that Isis is with us. We know that we will find her a very good and loving home. Her days of abuse are over and the healing of these wounds can begin. We want to thank Hope and Officer Tracy for freeing Isis and bringing her to us.

Wed 4/18/2007 11:00 AM

Dear Family and Friends,

We all die. Knowing that doesn't make it easier to part though. Yesterday morning we ended the life of our Great Dane, Isis. For nearly five years, she has been the "big dog" in our lives, the sweet and goofy companion who has been at our heels (literally, as she never really grasped just how big she was) 24/7. She came to us after two horrific years at a puppy mill where she was abused in ways we don't want to imagine. From the moment she leaped into our truck and refused to get out, she declared that she had been waiting for us and we had better take her home NOW, thank you very much! So we did.

She inspired us with her ability to forgive: despite how people had treated her, she greeted everyone with affection and trusted us completely to meet her needs. What graciousness and faith!

Last weekend, Isis collapsed several times, and her gimpy walk turned into a drunken stagger that made even the short trip from our bedroom, where she slept each night, to the living room, where she reclined on her queen-sized dog bed during the day, an adventure. We've known that her kidneys were failing and her spine was disintegrating; she's been steadily losing weight despite a truly deluxe diet of baked, cubed chicken breasts served over brown rice with steamed vegetables and fruits. So we decided to let her go while she still had her dignity, and before the pain took away her love of life. This morning we sat with Isis at the vet's as our Big Dog slipped from this life into whatever's next.

Thanks to all of you who welcomed her into your lives too.

Special thanks to Jan Smith, who tended Isis while we traveled, and to artists Sherrie York, who cared for Isis many times and who drew Isis in her sketchbooks way back when, and to CC Barton, whose new "Bird Dog" series of etchings features Isis. (Check out our Big Dog immortalized at http://www.ccbarton.com/)

Blessings to you all, Susan