KATIE JO'S STORY
	A note from Paula Lackner, of ATRA AIREDALE TERRIER RESCUE & ADOPTION: Jim & I picked up Katie Jo (her name was Lincoln at the time) from a Humane Society in Dubuque, Iowa. She celebrated her 10-year birthday at the shelter on December 15, 2006. Her story is that her original family didn't have room in their house for her anymore so they gave her to a friend. She obviously did not like it at that house because she would escape and be picked up by animal control. After the third time of being picked up by animal control, the people told the shelter to keep her. She was very thin, incontinent, infected ears, infected eyes, very thin hair, not to mention distant & confused. We made arrangements for rescue to pick her up from the shelter and transport her to Shawano, Wisconsin with the wonderful help of Sue Quale, Jeff Hayloch & Bob McArthur. Bob met me halfway with Lincoln and off we went back to her new foster home.
She was checked over by my vet and given the proper medical care she needed. After the deep cleaning of her ears and being put on medication for incontinence, she realized she was in a good place. For the first few months, she did not get along with our other three 'dales, Lucy, Patrick & Stinker. But slowly she realized that they wanted to be friends with her and soon we were all living in harmony. We also noticed her coming out of her shell. She played with toys and her favorite ones were Tiggers. So off I went to Goodwill every week looking for all sizes of Tiggers. I would sew in a squeaker and she was in heaven. She also began to prance when she walked almost like a show horse. It was so wonderful to see and we knew people were missing out on a wonderful pal. We posted her on our website and in our newsletter from January 2007 to August 2007 with no phone calls or emails inquiring about her. We knew in the back of our minds that she was going to be a hard placement due to her age. No one wants the old ones. So Jim & I came to the conclusion that she was going to live out her remaining years here with us. We made it official and adopted her in August 2007. She now greets our new fosters and I think lets them know they are opening a new lease on their lives. We have a new foster boy here and Katie is teaching him the ropes. People worry too much about age. Age is just a number and not what you truly are inside. There is no guarantee if you adopt a one-year-old that you will have her until she is 14. No one has a crystal ball. Look beyond the number of years and value the "now" time you have with your dogs or the special people in your lives. We love the seniors and hope all of them find loving homes.
OLD DOG Darling, the hesitation in your step makes my heart ache, knowing that you're wondering, hoping, is this the last home? will I have to move again? how will she know who I am? Beautiful, I see your history in your eyes and in those small quirks, in your startles and starts. oh, I know I'll never know the whole story of you but together we can patch things up, heal old wounds, soothe old fears. Beloved, I respect your years, and I promise you will grow old with me in comfort, in love, in safety. and when your years are done, I will see you through your passing, and keep you close in my arms, in my heart. You will live forever. T. Nesbit, in Memory of Duchess Claire June 2001

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