Lance gets tired easily, so Cam & Lana bought him a cart. He can still socialize with his neighborhood friends - whatta life, eh??

The photo on ATRA's website

Annie's known history began in August 1996 when she was impounded in Deerfield, Michigan as a stray; at the time it was estimated that she was about one year old and she weighed 34-1/2 pounds. Save-A-Pet in Illinois took her in two weeks later and found her a home. Two-and-a-half years later Annie was returned to Save-A-Pet for that all-too-familiar reason - her family was divorcing.

Another family was soon found for Annie in May 1999. At that time she weighed almost 38 pounds, probably her ideal weight as she is a petite girl. Unfortunately Annie was not well-looked-after at her new home. She was living with four adults, a three-year-old and a seven-month-old child, tied up outside all day regardless of the weather and surrounded by her waste. It was reported that when in the house she was confined to one room.

Annie giving her dad a face-wash

When brought back after one year she was dirty, matted and sick, weighing only 33 pounds. Her last home reported that in the year that they had her she had four to five seizures in which she shook violently and urinated, yet she had never been taken to the vet. Also, she had an abnormal gait, so Save-A-Pet took her to a vet to have neurological tests run on her.

Janelle & daughter Lauren took Annie to Lauren's school (thanks to Greg Turinett for the photo)

Annie was found to have signs of cerebellar and cerebral inflammation,interpreted by the vet to be a degenerative condition.

She was placed in a foster home but after three months she was relinquished to ATRA when the foster home decided they could no longer keep her. On 10 September 2000, Mr. & Mrs. Chuck Smith from Jacksonville, Illinois took custody of Annie for ATRA and drove her to her foster home in Wausau, Wisconsin with Greg & Janelle Turinetti and their two children.

It was at this time, near the middle of September that I first saw Annie on ATRA's web site. After reading her story and learning that she had special needs my heart went out to her. I kept looking at her, wondering if she had found a home and when I saw her in ATRA's newsletter and showed Cam he said, "Why don't you stop torturing yourself and just adopt her!" And so we did.

Because of Annie's neuromuscular problems, Carol Domeracki decided it would be best to minimize her travels by flying her to Annette Hall in Michigan who would get her to us from there. The arrangements were all made when Lance went into heart failure and had to be hospitalized. The Turinetts graciously insisted on keeping Annie with them until Lance was recovered.

Lynne O'Shaunessy & co-pilot Mike by the aireplane that took Annie to Michigan

On 30 September, Annie began her long day when the Turinetts drove her to the airport and said their goodbyes. Rhonda Buss flew her the first leg of the trip and Lynne O'Shaughnessy took her the second leg to Michigan. She spent the night with Annette Hall and we met her in London Ontario the next day to take our new little girl home.

Annie is a very pretty, petite (now 38 pound)-Airedale with an attitude. Although small in stature, she is huge in character, taking toys right out of 85-pound Lester's mouth and letting him know that she is Queen of the house. She is gentle with Lance, but the little stinker tries to steal his food when we are not looking. She is very playful, loves to throw toys all over the house, kiss her dad and cuddle on the couch or sit on my lap.

Annie has claimed the couch as her own

She is exceptionally clean and has impeccable house manners. Although she has a problem with being groomed, she is very food-motivated and will tolerate being brushed if she has cookies to munch on.

Annie out for a walk
with her brothers & Dad

Annie's special needs are not a problem at all; she has only had two epileptic seizures in the three months she's been with us and she keeps up with Lester on her walks, trotting nicely alongside Lance's cart. She has an endearing gait, picking her feet right up and goose-stepping, which is amplified when she is wearing her winter booties.

When we take her to the park she plays with the other dogs and delights the humans, soaking up attention. She literally bounces like a kangaroo when she is off leash and always comes when she's called. I don't know how anyone could not want this funny little girl; we love her to pieces.

It's been a long journey, but thanks to ATRA and so many people who cared, Annie is finally home.

Here is new sister Annie; all three are modeling October designs of ADD (Andréa's Doggie 'Danas)

Annie, Lance & Lester