Moby, AKA Yankee Submitted by Deborah Brown.
Some folks might be inclined to think that an angel-dog
is a beloved dog that has passed on and spends the
hereafter looking down on the family that it lived with
and loved. It might even do ghostly good deeds
whenever the opportunity presented itself.
My idea of what comprises an angel-dog is quite different. "My"
angel-dog doesn't belong to me, nor has he left this world. He belongs to
my only sister. Elyce. (This story is true and all names have been
changed to protect the innocent.) From her earliest days, Elyce loved
animals, ALL animals. It made not the slightest difference to her whether
they were frogs, cats, dogs, iguanas, guinea pigs, parrots, or any other
critter bearing fur, feathers or scales. She loved them all, each and
every one. She truly loved them and by heaven, they all loved her right
back. It was said that she had "a way" with animals. The "way" was love.
Some folks might be inclined to think that an angel-dog
is a beloved dog that has passed on and spends the
hereafter looking down on the family that it lived with
and loved. It might even do ghostly good deeds
whenever the opportunity presented itself.
My idea of what comprises an angel-dog is quite different. "My"
angel-dog doesn't belong to me, nor has he left this world. He belongs to
my only sister. Elyce. (This story is true and all names have been
changed to protect the innocent.) From her earliest days, Elyce loved
animals, ALL animals. It made not the slightest difference to her whether
they were frogs, cats, dogs, iguanas, guinea pigs, parrots, or any other
critter bearing fur, feathers or scales. She loved them all, each and
every one. She truly loved them and by heaven, they all loved her right
back. It was said that she had "a way" with animals. The "way" was love.
| Moby, AKA Yankee |
In the spring of 2001, Elyce got involved with a Bull Terrier Rescue Group. She had always had special feelings
for this breed and wanted to be instrumental in helping to save as many of these great dogs as she could. Her
very first rescue, is my angel-dog. He's her angel too, but she didn't know that then! Moby was 80 pounds of
all-white, rawboned, whip-tailed, immensely powerful bull terrier (like the Target Dog minus the bull's-eye!). The
first time I met him, the squat, slant-eyed bullie with the breed-typical smile-on-lips, I fully confess that I was not
too sure about this "new friend." By the time I left her house that evening, I was completely won over and totally
hooked! For all his power and strength, Moby was a big old pussycat! He would lay dreamily on his back, eyes
half-closed, and remain motionless for hours. He appeared almost comatose, for he never moved a muscle as
long as you continued to rub his sizeable white belly. He'd had it pretty rough before Elyce got him. The
angular monolith of his head bore telling scars of past mistreatment for he had been badly used by people that
should have loved and cared for him, but he had never turned mean. A lot of dogs suffering his fate certainly
might have gone that route but not Moby. He still loved the whole world and stubbornly maintained his faith in
humanity. He adapted beautifully to his new home. Even the cat was well tolerated, and Mephistopheles took
every opportunity to torment him. (It's just a cat thing!)
A week before Christmas that same year, my sister experienced every parent's worst nightmare. It happened,
with no warning at all. In a few terrible seconds, her life changed forever when her only child, James, died
suddenly at the tender age of 25. My sister is a strong woman, but I really feared for her. This boy was her life
and without him, her spirit seemed to collapse upon itself like a deflated balloon. I wasn't sure that she would be
able to summon the strength to keep going, but I hadn't counted on Moby. Overnight he became her protector,
her hero, her best friend and her angel-on-earth. The dog would not, could not be separated from her. He had
to sit next to her, sleep next to her as if trying to will her his own strength. You could almost hear him say, "You
saved me, and now it's my turn to save you! I WILL SAVE YOU! When Elyce left for work in the morning, he'd
lay as close to the front door as he could possibly get, with his massive head between his paws. Once
positioned, he'd wait patiently for her return. Her arrival was the cue for the show to begin. He'd do everything
and anything he could think of to cheer her up. He did back-flips, danced on his hind legs, sang his bullie songs
and generally made a complete spectacle of himself. As a nurse, I've seen people do many silly things to cheer
up patients, but never before had I seen an animal set out to do it. This was a dog with a mission! He was never
obnoxious, or pushy, rather supportive and steady. He even understood when she broke down and cried. He
would sit quietly beside her on the couch and poke that long nose up alongside her neck giving her the warmth
and solidity of his muscular body. It was all he had to offer, but it was enough. Somehow, he made it just
bearable.
It has been almost three years now and certainly, her spirit is still recuperating but Moby remains on guard
24/7. He is still her angel-on-earth, and still a dog with a mission. I would nominate him for sainthood if that were
possible, but alas, this is the best I can do. Moby helped my sister through the worst time in her life. He did
more to save her than I could at that most painful, despairing time and therefore, he is definitely my
angel-dog-on-earth.
In Moby's name, I would like to put this last thought in your mind. Sometimes, when we set out to rescue another
being, we wind up rescuing ourselves too.
Written by Barri Soreil
for this breed and wanted to be instrumental in helping to save as many of these great dogs as she could. Her
very first rescue, is my angel-dog. He's her angel too, but she didn't know that then! Moby was 80 pounds of
all-white, rawboned, whip-tailed, immensely powerful bull terrier (like the Target Dog minus the bull's-eye!). The
first time I met him, the squat, slant-eyed bullie with the breed-typical smile-on-lips, I fully confess that I was not
too sure about this "new friend." By the time I left her house that evening, I was completely won over and totally
hooked! For all his power and strength, Moby was a big old pussycat! He would lay dreamily on his back, eyes
half-closed, and remain motionless for hours. He appeared almost comatose, for he never moved a muscle as
long as you continued to rub his sizeable white belly. He'd had it pretty rough before Elyce got him. The
angular monolith of his head bore telling scars of past mistreatment for he had been badly used by people that
should have loved and cared for him, but he had never turned mean. A lot of dogs suffering his fate certainly
might have gone that route but not Moby. He still loved the whole world and stubbornly maintained his faith in
humanity. He adapted beautifully to his new home. Even the cat was well tolerated, and Mephistopheles took
every opportunity to torment him. (It's just a cat thing!)
A week before Christmas that same year, my sister experienced every parent's worst nightmare. It happened,
with no warning at all. In a few terrible seconds, her life changed forever when her only child, James, died
suddenly at the tender age of 25. My sister is a strong woman, but I really feared for her. This boy was her life
and without him, her spirit seemed to collapse upon itself like a deflated balloon. I wasn't sure that she would be
able to summon the strength to keep going, but I hadn't counted on Moby. Overnight he became her protector,
her hero, her best friend and her angel-on-earth. The dog would not, could not be separated from her. He had
to sit next to her, sleep next to her as if trying to will her his own strength. You could almost hear him say, "You
saved me, and now it's my turn to save you! I WILL SAVE YOU! When Elyce left for work in the morning, he'd
lay as close to the front door as he could possibly get, with his massive head between his paws. Once
positioned, he'd wait patiently for her return. Her arrival was the cue for the show to begin. He'd do everything
and anything he could think of to cheer her up. He did back-flips, danced on his hind legs, sang his bullie songs
and generally made a complete spectacle of himself. As a nurse, I've seen people do many silly things to cheer
up patients, but never before had I seen an animal set out to do it. This was a dog with a mission! He was never
obnoxious, or pushy, rather supportive and steady. He even understood when she broke down and cried. He
would sit quietly beside her on the couch and poke that long nose up alongside her neck giving her the warmth
and solidity of his muscular body. It was all he had to offer, but it was enough. Somehow, he made it just
bearable.
It has been almost three years now and certainly, her spirit is still recuperating but Moby remains on guard
24/7. He is still her angel-on-earth, and still a dog with a mission. I would nominate him for sainthood if that were
possible, but alas, this is the best I can do. Moby helped my sister through the worst time in her life. He did
more to save her than I could at that most painful, despairing time and therefore, he is definitely my
angel-dog-on-earth.
In Moby's name, I would like to put this last thought in your mind. Sometimes, when we set out to rescue another
being, we wind up rescuing ourselves too.
Written by Barri Soreil
