My Izzobelle (Izzy) is a yellow Lab/Shepherd mix.
She was a tiny little six pound ball of fur when I found her cowering in the corner of a cage and being crushed by several other dogs of various ages and sizes. I immediately picked her up out of that cage and hugged her so she wouldn’t be afraid. She cried and kissed my cheek. From that moment on, I was her Mom and she was my little girl.
She came home to a big brother, a little beagle-terrier mix named Max. They loved each other immediately. They slept together, ate together, and got on each others nerves as brothers and sisters do.
In 2007, I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Izzy was at my side after my surgeries and during treatment, leaving me only to go potty. She would immediately want to come back into the house to lay by me, making sure at least one of her paws were touching me. I was in treatment for almost three years, and she never wavered from her care of me. She’d lay beside me if I was too weak to get off the floor, sometimes hours at a time. She was my constant companion, and I was hers.
I don’t know that I could have given this little girl a better life than I had. She was loved more than a lot of humans. Her loving heart and caring spirit was the reason why. She was happy, and she knew how much she was loved, and even though she was a senior and getting very weak, she tried to stay longer than her sweet body would allow. I would have loved for her to stay with me forever, but that would have been so very selfish on my part. I couldn’t allow my beautiful little girl to suffer in pain any longer. Myself and Izzy’s human sister, Kelly, had to say good-bye to Izzy in a tearful, but loving way, leaving her without any more pain and suffering. She’s now playing with her brother Max again, and I’ll see her some day, soon. I’m sure she’ll be waiting for me, with her wagging body, not just her tail, her loving eyes, and big Izzy smile.
I love you, my sweet Izzobelle. Thank you for rescuing me and showing me what unconditional love really is. I’ll miss you forever my sweet girl.