On 14 December 2011, Mary Giese writes:

Late Sunday, my 17-year-old dog, Nell, decided to leave this earth. She did it like she did everything else, on her own terms.

Nell was my first rescue for ATRA, back in 1996. She was a mix back when rescue was still taking them. She was feral and the first night I had her, she slipped her collar and was gone for three months. When we finally caught up with her in a live trap, she had gone from 37 pounds back to her full weight of 67 pounds, with a gorgeous black and tan coat. She was tamed within a couple of months and went on to take care of the household until now. She was never aggressive, yet she seemed to be in charge of everything. She checked Harriet for a hot spot just last week, when I thought she'd given up monitoring the others.

I credit the raw diet and natural supplements for her longevity. It was the arthritis, I think, that finally did her in, because her organs were in good shape. Even on her last day, she ate her chicken pieces with relish.

She blew into my life a complete surprise and blew out the same way. In that vein, I won't mention her crossing the Rainbow Bridge. I can honestly say I have no idea where she went, but wherever it is, she's weaving her special magic there.

Toggle, Charlie (@RB), Nell (@RB), Harriet & Starr shown with the kind permission of Mary Giese

Photographs shown with the kind permission of Tom Pryor.

Thanks to Karen Clouston for the Airedale Graphics