[Dailydrool] Please Light a Candle for Abbi

[Kathi Lockhart]

Working in rescue, you try so hard to help every hound you can. Sadly, not
every story has a happy ending like we would wish.
Yesterday, I had to help our foster, Abbi, to the bridge. The hard part is
that she was physically healthy. Abbi had what is called rage syndrome. This
is where a dog attacks for no reason, sometimes from a sound sleep. She
would be perfectly happy one minute and, the next second, a vicious dog
would appear out of the blue. Over the last few months that we have been
working with her, she has bitten all of us and attacked many of the other
dogs. Our soon-to-be daughter-in-law was so afraid of her after these
attacks that she wouldn't even come downstairs by herself. The weird part is
that Abbi never even realized she was doing it. After attacking, she would
come to you wagging her tail and happy as can be.
Yesterday, while I was at work, my husband was sitting at the dining room
table reading. All of the dogs were asleep in various rooms. Abbi suddenly
jumped up, ran about 6 feet to where one of our daschunds, Hershey, was
sleeping and attacked her. My husband had to tear her away from Hershey and
physically get her out of the room. Hershey's mouth and face were bleeding
badly. After getting the bleeding stopped, he checked on Abbi and she was
wagging her tail and asking for a belly rub.
We contacted the rescue and our vet. All of us tried to find someone who
would be willing to keep Abbi and try to help her. No one would. Sadly, the
decision was made to let Abbi go. We couldn't risk her attacking someone
else like our grandchildren or Hannah the puppy - someone who couldn't fight
back.
As Abbi left for the bridge, I held and stroked her, telling her that she
was a good girl and that I was sorry. Now, whatever demons that possessed
her are gone and she is free.
Please light a candle to help her on her way.

I also ask that no one send me any hateful emails. Believe me, no one could
say anything to me that I haven't said to myself. The guilt and pain is
overwhelming but I needed to share her story with someone and my Drool
family has always been there for me. Those of you who know me, know my love
for these hounds.

Kathi - Slave to Fogarty, Marla, O'Tay, Sam, Ned, Beauregard, and Hannah -
Hershey and Kluse the Wannabes - Nash the foster - and Forever Loved
Einstein, Harriet, Honey, Miss Droopy, and Abbi ATB
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