Eleven-year-old Murphy the Wonder Dog was rescued by AireCanada in 2001 from a situation in which he was tied out in the harsh Yukon weather for over a year. Ill and unloved, he had stopped eating and, clearly, was hoping to die.
No one wanted such a frail senior, so he came to us when we promised he would spend his last remaining days in comfort. Instead of crossing The Bridge in a matter of weeks as we had expected, Murphy rallied, grew fat and sassy, and stayed with us for almost three more years.
During his time in our home, Murphy was always a perfect gentleman. He was an extremely funny old fellow who got himself into all kinds of predicaments and reacted to these situations in unusual ways. I wrote about some of these
incidents and posted the anecdotes to a variety of email lists.
When he left us finally, due to inoperable cancer, he took a huge piece of our hearts with him. We still miss our old boy and, occasionally, feel he is watching over us, especially when a new rescued Airedale comes into our lives.
Many people have asked that the stories about Murphy be collected in one place. Few have read all the accounts of Murphy's adventures because of the variety of places these appeared, including on a list that is no longer
in existence. Much as I wished to satisfy these requests, it has taken me two years to be able to reread what I had written about The Wonder Dog without being reduced to tears.
The job is now done, however. Murphy lives again in The Starfish Stories which you may purchase for the cost of printing, postage and a $5 donation to AireCanada Airedale Rescue to help other Airedales in need, as Murphy was.
To keep printing and postage costs minimal, The Starfish Stories has been published as an 8.5" x 11" booklet with light board covers and a plastic coil binding. There are two original drawings included, one on the cover, as well as a page of colored photographs of Murphy. The entire booklet is 28 pages, and includes 45 anecdotes featuring Murphy and his pals, Angie Adorable and Pifflesqueak the Toy Poodle, plus two essays I wrote about Murphy -- one at the beginning and another at the end of the work.
Murphy represented all that can be treasured about the Airedale breed. He was resilient and loyal; a loving boy who, even at his advanced age, still happily chased squirrels, exhibited minor fits of irrational stubbornness and played like a puppy. He adored outings, and when his arthritic hind legs
no longer would support him, he was happy to accompany the pack in a buggy. He loved good food, especially pizza, and begged extravagantly for treats. He adored us all and seemed incredibly grateful for a chance to live out his final years in comfort. He was one of our "heart" dogs -- unforgettable and greatly beloved.
I hope that you enjoy reading the stories about his adventures.
I am very grateful to Murphy's good friends, Inez Smillie, for her drawings, and Andréa Denninger, for editing The Starfish Stories.
Maureen Scott
November, 2006
Murphy enjoying a walk at Summit Lake
in Northern British Columbia with
Pifflesqueak & Maureen
|