My Mag the Pie, a.k.a Maggie, came into my life 10 years ago. My friend and I were living in North Carolina when I first laid eyes on Maggie. We lived in a development which was rather new, with little to no trees. Our rental home had a large fenced-in yard which our dogs spent many hours exploring and enjoying with us! Next door there was a family who had several children. We noticed that they would have a pup which suddenly disappeared not once, but twice! When we asked the kids what happened they nonchalantly say oh it died! No tears... no regrets... nothing! We thought this rather odd. Then the third pup showed, chained to a small tree which provided no shade. The children did not treat the pup kindly. From my bathroom window or from our yard I would talk to the pup, who responded with joy and excitement. One day, while I was recovering from surgery, my friend and I heard pitiful whimpering from next door. No one was home. No pup was once again in sight! Finally I asked my friend to go over and find out where the whimpering was coming from. There was a shed with no windows in our neighbor's yard where the whimpering was coming from! When she opened the door of the shed she found the pup crated with no food, water, light or fresh air! Feces and urine were all over the floor. We talked with our neighbors about letting the pup stay in our yard and play with our dogs if they were going to be away. They agreed. Soon a very strong bond developed between me and the pup. She would spend hours sitting as close to me as she could with her head tucked safely under my arm. One day the neighbors were late coming over to take the pup home. I told them to make sure the pup got lots of water because it was very warm and she had been playing hard. As my friend and I watched, one of the children brought out a small glass of water for pup and then put her in the shed! Horrified, we confronted the neighbors! We gave them an ultimatum... we call the police and turn them in for cruelty to animals, or they give us the pup and as long as we lived next door to them that they would not get another pup or we would turn them in! Well, that evening when it came time for our fur babies to come in for the day, one happy little black pup with a white blaze on her breast was welcomed into our home! We renamed her Maggie after Maggie Smith the actress, but nick named her "Mag the Pie" because she reminded us of the magpies in the Windex commercials, which make us smile like Maggie does!
Don't be afraid to step in to rescue a young or older fur baby, because you never know what a blessing you will receive! Though now after 10 years her eyes are cloudy and she moves a bit slower, my grateful Maggie still gives unconditional love with a smile, a butterfly kiss and a snuggle every day! Way to go Mag the Pie! I love you, and wow am I blessed!
TUXEDO PARK, NY
