We have not been looking forward to this time when we would be letting you know that we had to make that agonising decision to let our lovely girl, Shauna, depart this world and cross Rainbow Bridge.
After losing our beautiful rescue girl Abby in such sad circumstances in 2004 we didn’t feel that we could home another Springer at that time.
Liz (Emmott) was so sympathetic and understanding that she contacted us only a few days after losing Abby to tell us that Shauna had been surrendered to NWESSR from Dublin and was at Rose Farm Kennels in Warrington.We did wonder if Shauna was deaf at first-she was so scatty and being only eighteen months old a truly busy, busy girl but with such a contrasting personality, we couldn’t resist her and she did help us to cope with the loss of Abby.At home, we still had another old Springer boy, Berty, whom we had had from a puppy who Shauna loved to bits-I can still picture them now having a tug of war with old socks in the garden.
We introduced another young rescue Springer, Jordy, in 2006 who, after Berty passed away (thankfully for us and him naturally in his sleep in 2007) became Shauna’s firm friend.
He wasn’t always very courteous to her but he knew his place and adored her.
Shauna was a pretty girl, very affectionate, loyal and always ready to chase a ball, stick or anything that you cared to throw.
Everybody loved Shauna and she loved everybody-except pussycats!
She enjoyed many happy hours in the forests, lakes and streams and on the wide open beaches of North Wales where we have our caravan.
Typically, Springer, food was never far from her mind and she was always a great kitchen companion at meal times!
After a trouble-free healthy life, in late August 2014, she became very ill with an autoimmune condition which resulted in being admitted urgently to the hospital where she had a blood transfusion and was critical for almost a week.With the care and attention of the veterinary hospital, she made a full recovery and continued to enjoy life although she was a little slower and arthritis had set in.
The veterinary staff loved attending to Shauna as she was such a model patient but made them laugh as they could hear her snoring above all the other dogs!
Just after Christmas in 2015, she suffered what appeared to be a stroke which was very frightening for her and us but was , in fact, inflammation of a nerve in the brain that did not leave any lasting damage other than a slight turn to her head.It was actually quite endearing as she always looked at us with her head on one side and it certainly didn’t affect her quality of life.Her bark became husky and then eventually disappeared!
She slowed down quite considerably last year but we gave her appropriate medication, massaged her legs and she even had hydrotherapy sessions and some laser treatment which eased some of the discomforts.
Last August she suffered a nasty gastric attack but, once again, as plucky as ever recovered, however walking was becoming more difficult and walks were restricted to the playing field adjacent to our home.
To help avoid cutting her pads and help lift her feet as she walked we bought dog booties for her hind legs which were a real talking point amongst all her dog friends and their humans!
She even managed a longer than average walk on Christmas Eve to a lovely little cafe on the Dee Estuary.The prospect of a few tasty bits of bacon and toast were always tempting for her!
Little did we know that by the day after Boxing Day she would no longer be with us.
She became sick very quickly due to a blocked bile duct and distended gallbladder.Major surgery was the only way forward with minimal chance of recovery if, indeed, she had survived the trauma of an operation at all.
As all humans know who have been through this, it is so so hard to make that final decision to let your beloved pet slip away but we did and have been heartbroken ever since.
Jordy is not quite his boisterous self either and we know that he is missing his faithful companion. Shauna, at 15 and 6 months, is at rest with Abby, Berty and Henry (Cocker Spaniel) in our garden where we have planted a rose which will, hopefully, bloom around the time of her birthday in the Summer.
We are indebted to Liz and the NWESSR for giving us the opportunity to have the privilege and pleasure to have had Shauna in our lives for so long.
R.I.P lovely girl.
Thank you,
Linda, Derek and Jordy Herbert.