NEVER...EVER...GIVE UP HOPE : Dogs - R is for Rusty and Rex

Rusty and Rex. Black Dobermans. I have a special love reserved for Dobermans. I especially love red ones and Rusty was the only black one we had. Rusty was beautiful. He had a beautiful, shiny black coat and was a lot larger than any of the Dobermans we had. We rescued Rusty from an abusive situation and brought him home. At the time, we were living on a large acreage and he loved his new found freedom. My children were quite young and they loved to romp and run with him. As all Dobies, he was a great guard dog, loyal to the core. There was never anything to be concerned about when he was babysitting the kids.

We went on a holiday and asked our neighbor to feed him while we were away. We knew he was in good hands and didn't have any concerns until the phone call came.

"Last night I heard the coyotes howling and carrying on something terrible." I knew that the next words out of her mouth were not going to be pleasant ones. "I am so sorry but from what I can figure out, one of them must have been in heat and lured Rusty away. I am sorry, but he never came back home."

We will never know the demise of Rusty and it deeply saddened us, especially when we felt guilty for not being there when he needed us the most.

Rex. Rex lived next door to us with a man who my son loved dearly. Our little guy would visit him daily and play with his big black Doberman. I started to realize this man was a heavy drinker. In the evenings I could hear him yelling at his dog. The more I listened the more I became extremely concerned for the dog's well-being. I knew he was abusing the dog but I didn't have any proof.

I knew Rex would be killed. I had to do SOMETHING!

Then it happened. One evening, I heard a loud yelp and a cracking sound that literally sent shivers up my spine. I glanced out the window and the porch light next door revealed my worst fear. Here was this man, standing over Rex with a shovel in his hand. Immediately I called out to Rex hoping the sound of my voice would make the man stop and it did.

I knew I had to steal that dog....but how?

I didn't know what to do. My husband was out of the country and I was not going to allow that dog to go through any more abuse. I called a friend of mine and he had a great idea. "Let's wait until he is asleep and I will go over there and STEAL that dog." The word was RESCUE but steal Rex was exactly what he meant. Later that night, we snuck into his yard. I was not sure what would happen because I knew Rex was a powerful dog and in pain. Would he bite us?

Rex was just laying on the ground, shivering. We quietly approached him and his little stubby tail wagged so fast that his hind quarters were wiggling. My friend gently picked him up and put him in the back of his pickup truck.

"Please don't tell me where you are taking him - just find him a home. I don't think I should know any of the details." He agreed with me and that was the last time I saw him, until.....

Would I ever see Rex again?

I was driving about 4 miles from home and saw an elderly man walking this regal dog that I knew was Rex. I honked my horn, pulled over to the side of the road and said "Rex, is that you?"

He leaped toward my car and I jumped out. The man walking him was elated as I thanked him for providing a home for Rex. His eyes welled up with tears as he began to tell me how he always wanted a black Dobie and couldn't afford one. He said that Rex was the best thing that ever happened to him and his ailing wife. It was obvious how much they loved him and I never felt even the slightest twinge of guilt for 'stealing' that dog.

What do you think you would have done?

I am participating in this year's A to Z Challenge 2014 and am sharing 26 dogs stories - one for each letter of the alphabet.

A is for All the Dogs               B is for Babe                             C is for Charlie
D is for Dyeing Hair                E is for Emergency                   F is for Flying Snake and Flying Dogs
G is for Galloping down the road                                              H is for Hiding behind the tree
I is for The Intimidator                                                              J i for Just Dream Big
K is for Babe is Killed
L is for Louie Vuitton
M is for MercedeZ
N is for New Addition Chiweenie
O is for Old Fart and Other Cats
P is for Perky
Q is for Quincy

It would be awesome if you would visit other blogs in this challenge. There is a wide range of subjects posted every day and my fellow bloggers would be honored to have you drop by.