In Memorium

by Syd Sullins

When I began volunteering at The Ranch in 2013, there were a couple of dogs in one of the back runs named Bella and Lucky. Both were approximately 8-years old with plenty of scars to prove they had spent years on the street. They must have had some street smarts to survive that long. They were brought into The Ranch in the spring of 2012 after they were reported wandering in traffic.

Both Bella and Lucky were the sweetest, most gentle dogs. Bella had a knack for escaping from her run. She would only make her way to the front of The Ranch though so she could greet us at the casita in the morning.

Bella struggled with skin issues. We tried multiple treatments without success. The most affected area was her paws and it was painful for her to go on the walks she loved so much. Eventually the vet told me that The Ranch just wasn’t a good place for her. She needed a foster home where she could get some TLC and the meds she needed several times a day. I remember calling Leigh Sheardown. At the time, she was co-manager at The Ranch with me and she agreed to foster Bella. That was December 2014.

Well, that turned out to be one of our happiest foster fails. Bella thrived with Leigh in a warm home with lots of attention. When Leigh made the decision to move back to Canada a year later, there was no question that Bella would go with her. So our beat up Mexican pit bull mix became a city dog living in a condo in Vancouver.

This old shelter dog quickly acclimated to city life. She never had an accident indoors and only needed to go out on walks twice a day. She continued to love her car rides and walks. Even up until the end, she would go into play posture when she met other dogs, especially unfettered males. Our Bella was a little flirt. She was well-loved in the neighborhood and when she passed, Leigh reported that she received more cards and flowers than she receives on her birthday. Everyone is missing our Bella.

There was also a happy outcome for Lucky as he ended up with The Ranch founder, Gudrun Jones. Last we heard, he was still hanging in there.

Farewell Bella. I know you are running in green fields forever. We are happy you died knowing what it is like to be a loved and pampered dog.