Thank you for following the past 5 days on our blog as NMDR has taken you from the beginning of our rescues, all the way through the intake at the kennel.
Although many, many furry souls were saved, unfortunately, rescue does not always end in a story of triumph. We are sharing this with you because tonight, we are heartbroken. Rather than be frustrated, angry, sad and run the gamut of emotions alone, we wanted to say goodbye to Kiki with all of you. In your hearts, you were with the rescue teams as they made their journeys this weekend and you are with us now, as we nurse 70+ dogs back to health and happiness. As Kiki's rescue was shared with followers, we believe she would want the same in her departure.
Kiki was rescued three days ago from a puppy mill. She was a 6 year-old Pomeranian who weighed a meager 4 lbs. Kiki was transported by Rescue Team 3 (Theresa, Dayna, Amiee) and they cared for her tremendously from the minute she was surrendered by her breeder. Sadly, after 6 years of neglect and a complete lack of vet care, Kiki was suffering from tracheal stenosis and her lungs were severely damaged. Upon intake at NMDR's facility, Kiki's heart was failing and she was having difficulty breathing.
A few words about Kiki from Helen, NMDR's intake coordinator...
"Kiki really loved snuggling. Even though the intake was a crazy day, somehow volunteers managed to take the time to continually snuggle with Kiki, no matter what was going on. She was so very thin. I gave her 100% chicken canned food and she loved it. She may have only had a few hours of freedom but we did everything we could to make every moment count for her."
We would also like to share an excerpt from an email written by Theresa Strader, NMDR's founder and Kiki's rescuer....
"I just had to let a little Pom go that just came in yesterday morning. She had severe lung damage from years of an untreated respiratory condition. She was suffering. Unfortunately, it was her time, altogether too soon. I carried her outside, let her sniff a big ol' pine tree, let her feet touch the grass, let the sun shine on her back and the breeze blow her hair around. These are the simple pleasures she never knew until today.... moments before she passed on."
Kiki finally found her forever home this afternoon. She made her trip over the rainbow bridge in Theresa's arms. Tonight, Kiki breathes easy, enjoys warmth, open space, kind companionship and all the tasty pieces of soft chicken she can possibly eat. What she will remember from her last moments on earth are not cold wires and neglect, but compassion, a kind touch and comfort in knowing that because of her, NMDR's mission only gets stronger.
Sweet dreams Kiki. We loved you briefly, but you touched us forever.
If this message finds Theresa I want you to know that you were the angel that guided her to heaven, a much better place than she ever knew. You gave back her dignity and allowed her to experience a few small pleasures that she deserved and should have had her whole life. It's so very hard to think that people can create suffering in this way, it's something I will never understand and it will always weigh on my shoulders. Every little animal soul deserves to leave this world in the arms of a loving and caring person. Thanks Theresa and Kiki thanks you.
Posted by: Rae | April 16, 2010 at 11:00 AM