Mark and Diane proudly introduce our newest family member: Rosie Esther/Mattiussi. She'll likely be known as: Rosie-Posie; Rosebud; Rosetta; and any other concoctions we can come up with. She is a mixed-heritage doggie, we're guessing she's part Lab and part Rottweiler - notice the cute eyebrows that come from her Rotty side.

Rosie is about 7 years old, has spent all of her life (from 6 months old) on a chain outside. It took the groomers 3 baths to get out all of the sticks, twigs, mats and mud from her coat.
She is a sweet, gentle soul, whose eyes truly exude love...how or why she is not a very angry, mean dog is beyond our human comprehension.
We are hoping she will join our 'Coombs Quints' within the week. (Yep, she will be #6 on our hit parade). So, I guess we have our Christmas present early this year.

Apparently, a woman down Island finally talked Rosie's 'owner' into giving her up. He said O.K. because he had got Rosie to replace his previous dog who died...and he never could 'really get close to her'. (Any wonder, especially because he kept her chained outside all 7 of her years (*!#)

That lady took her in to Qualicum Pet Foods and they gave her the name of Bev Davis of Second Chances in Parksville. Needless to say, Bev took her in immediately, and began having her groomed and vetted. Rosie must not have had much shelter, as she was soaked through with mud and debris. It literally took three different appointments with the groomer to get her cleaned up, and her skin is still not very good. We'll keep on whatever routine the vet recommends to get her up to snuff.

She is such a sweet, loving, gentle soul, in spite of the horrid life she has been forced to live. Why dogs like Rosie aren't snarly and mean, I'll never know - it is certainly beyond my mentality to understand. Perhaps she just never gave up hope that life would get better.

Thankfully, that dream has come true, and she will be spending the rest of her life with nothing but love and hugs, soft cushions, treats and kindness. My son and I will do everything in our power to try to make up for those undeserved and wretched and endless days darling Rosie endured so patiently.

Each and every case of animal abuse and neglect that I encounter personally stands my heart on its end and tears another piece away. Knowing there are millions more like Rosie and our Inuk and our Nui-Bear, who also came to us from brutes who used their power so viciously, churns my stomach even more.

On a good day, when the sun is beaming down on all of our gang while they chase and tumble and tug, I can be more forgiving and try to understand that most likely those abusers had their own bad beginnings that led them to this cruel state in life, and hope they will someday get the help they need to work their way out of their own torment.

"The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women made for men."
Alice Walker, author of: The Colour Purple.