Dear Friends,
    We feel great sadness to report the passing of our original Rodent Acquisition Specialist, Iris. She went out in style, chasing down a scent trail, failing to look both ways before crossing the road.  This occurred on Saturday night May 3.  I buried her at the farm on Sunday, barely enough room in her grave for all the tears that fell.  Many of our friends have commented that I'm a tough gal and the best person for this task.  Maybe, but that doesn't make it any easier.  
    Iris was a free puppy in a cental PA newspaper in August 2002.  I never intended to get a puppy, let alone one with lab in it.  The puppy's family ended up knowing my dad when he and mom were expecting me!  27 years later Tom's daughter shows up for an orphan puppy.  She wandered over to me, and I was hooked. 
    She and I were inseparable; I happened to have 2 part-time jobs who both let her come to work.  She also charmed the staff at the facilities where my mother was receiving care for the last stages of breast cancer.  She would quietly rest in mom's room, and then cruise the floor bringing joy to the nurses and other patients.  This dog had a gift for reading people.  She even charmed my mom, who reluctantly admitted she was a good dog.  That was a tough sale!!  
    I'm crying in the coffee shop right now.  I just can't believe she's gone.  This 45 pound scrapper saved me from deep depresssion after mom passed.  She and I had many addresses and adventures over the last nearly 6 years.    Iris was a tough working dog, loved to ride on the kayak, and snooze in the sun.  Her ball drive was so strong, even high energy kids would tire from playing with her.  I really enjoyed sharing her with our family and friends.  Her many aunts and uncles always inquired when Iris would be available for a sleep over. 
    It's been a few days since her passing already.  I couldn't even think about writing this any sooner.  Here's the kicker:  Iris' understudy was with her on the scent trail.  Hazel hasn't been found yet!  I'm doubly heartsick over my best friend's passing and Hazel's missing status.  My neighbors and I have blanketed the countryside with fliers and word of mouth.  I've posted an ad in the local newspaper.  The dog warden and shelter have been notified.  Irrational Bee drives around everyday looking for her in a ditch. Here's what rational Bee thinks happened:  1.  Hazel charmed a family with children, who were delighted to find a trained dog.  2.  Hazel is having fun eating deer carcasses and chasing wildlife in the big open country out here and will eventually come home.  
   And finally, to rub salt in the wounds:  The rodentia around the farm know the dogs are gone!  Every corner I turn, there's another one readying the assault on the farm.
   We will always share our life with dogs, and look forward to our next one.  This double sided loss comes at a tough time of the year...lots of rodent pressure, and limited time to train another dog.  This experience is like mourning a person...Iris left some big paws to fill. 
Bee

 

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