|
In Loving Memory of Tessa
by Amy Kelley
In '04 we received a phone call from someone asking for our help. They had found 3 adult Rottweilers (2 female and 1 male) that had been left in the yard of an abandoned house in southern Illinois. One of the females (Tessa) had given birth to a litter of puppies that were found dead and the other female was pregnant.
Sheri Berliner of Petraits took in Dumpling, the pregnant dog, who later gave birth to a litter of dead puppies. Bark Avenue took in Tessa and Zeus. Dumpling and Zeus found homes and lived out their lives with loving families. Tessa found her home at Bark Avenue and stole the hearts of the owners and staff over the years.
Tessa was full of spirit. She was the H-B-I-C...as Richard Tanner liked to put it (Head Bitch In Charge)...and that she was! She bossed around even the toughest male dogs and didn't take any crap from anyone 2-legged or 4-legged. Her spunk and spirit gave us many laughs and taught us many valuable lessons throughout her time with us.
Tessa was careful with her heart but didn't hold back with the ones she loved. She stole my heart in '04 and I was blessed to be one of her chosen people. She would always smile when we were together and she just wanted to be close.
Thursday, July 25th, we noticed she was weak and Friday she had completely lost her will to get up. As I held her crying, she looked up at me with that precious smile, leaned up and kissed away my tears. I knew then, that it was time to say goodbye. We called our vet and she came to Bark Avenue so that we didn't have to move her. Even in her weakened state, her spirit and heart showed. She never liked to be poked and prodded and that vet wasn't going to get away without some attitude! Daniel, Patience, Elsa and I were all there with her when she took her final breath. She is now free from the pain of her old achy body and smiles down on us from doggie heaven. I miss her dearly and her spirit will be with me forever.
I want to thank the Windmillers for rescuing these 3 Rotties from that yard and Sheri Berliner for asking us if we could help. Tessa would not have been brought into our lives if it had not been for them. To me, she was "my dog"...many of Bark Avenue staff felt the same. She was so special to all who loved her.
 Tessa loved cooling off in the pool...whether there was water in it or not!
 Tessa and Amy (left picture in '04, right picture in '07)
|
Tessa telling Amy secrets.
 Zeus was believed
to be Tessa's son.
|
Tessa - Christmas '04
Tessa with her friend, 
Tessa '04