I am participating in the Walk for the Animals benefiting Animal Protection Society of Durham. I would like to tell the story of Delilah, the Saint Bernard in my profile picture. Delilah was brought in to the general practice where I worked years ago. She was underweight and very sick with diarrhea. I instantly fell in love with her and, had I been allowed another dog and her prognosis not been so poor, she would have come home with me. She was such a sweet and trusting soul. We performed some diagnostics and the results came back showing that she was suffering from end stage lymphoma throughout her body. She was sent back to the shelter with medications and we all knew her time was coming soon. I told the employees at the shelter that when her time came, I would like to take her for a freedom ride. About a week later, she was ready. Her body had failed her and she couldn't fight anymore. She was exhausted. The shelter called me and I immediately dropped what I was doing and went to pick her up. They helped her up into my SUV, said a teary goodbye, and let me take her knowing that when we were done with our day I would take her to the vet where I worked to end her journey. Once she realized we were leaving the parking lot and she wasn't in an animal control truck box her face lit up. She couldn't sit still she was so excited. She seemed like a different dog! There was Saint Bernard drool ALL over my seat and windows. Our first stop was McDonalds. I got a few burgers, some fries, and chicken nuggets from the dollar menu and headed to the barn after picking up a friend. It was cold but she loved the fresh air. She got to meet the horses and run around the field saying hi, eating hamburgers, and catching chicken nuggets in the air. We then went for a little walk but she quickly tired. I called the office and told them I was headed over. They had a bed and blankets ready for her. My husband met me there and we all layed on the floor with her cuddling and telling her how beautiful she was, for what was never long enough. I feel like she knew she was loved, not only by us but the shelter employees as well. She was so relaxed and fell asleep with her head in my lap, snuggling one of my dog's old toys she had played with earlier that day. As she fell asleep in my lap, the doctor started his procedure and gave her the injection that ended her suffering. We stayed with her for a while until we could compose ourselves. To this day I remember everything about her. She will always have a part of my heart and she was never even truly my dog. And yet she was. And I was her person. And she knew that. 

I would like to support the shelter here in our new city. And this is a great way to do so. Please support me as I raise money and walk for all the shelter animals that need us; for all the other Delilahs in the world that just want one more day.