Story submitted 2009-04-30

I wanted to send a donation in memory of our little "Floyd". We rescued Floyd from a busy street in Jan. 2007. He appeared to be a little older, although he wasn't fixed. He had bad teeth and really long nails but I fell in love immediately!

We already had 3 dogs(two of them doxies) and we we tried to find his owner, but he soon became part of our family. After a trip to the vet (the first of many), we learned he had a heart condition which would probably eventually take him to the Rainbow Bridge. She guessed he was about 10 yeas old. He was fixed and had his teeth done, and though he lost quite a few, that never stopped him from eating everything he could get to! His new name "Floyd" fit him well.

Among his MANY mishap adventures...he escaped through a hole (which our other dogs failed to find) in the fence, and ended up in a neighbor's yard. Before we gated the hallway to the garage door, he wandered off twice to explore the new neighborhood. I was frantic! The first time, we found him walking with another person (no care in the world) and the second time, he came back like nothing had happened! He fell in the pool one night while we were away (a neighbor heard him crying and got him out...and he didn't really like water too much after that.) He got a urinary tract infection and then a cricked neck from laying in a weird position (I didn't know this was even possible in dogs!) Many trips and lot's of money to the vet...but it was all worth it! We got to spend two wonderful years with Floyd in our family. He got to go play in the snow at Big Bear and he loved camping in the sand at Pismo Beach. He loved to take walks in the hills of our neighborhood, although he could never quite clear the curbs and often wiped out trying to jump up on them. He was spoiled and slept in our bed everynight. He loved to lay in the sun and steal our husky's big bones at meal time. He loved his new home and brother, Clyde, and his sisters, Connie and Mika, and I'm s ure was happy to spend his last two years in the love and care of his mama and papa.

Eventually, his heart condition did get the best of him, and sadly for us, he went to the Rainbow Bridge on the sunny morning of February 10th, 2009. He was comfortable and warm in our bed and as I laid with him with tears in my eyes, I was content knowing he wasn't going to struggle to breathe anymore and he would be happy and peacful playing and waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge. I still miss him and think of him everyday! But he sits on my nightstand in a beautiul box and every morning when I wake up and see his picture I know he is in a better place waiting to see us again someday. He truly brought a unique joy to our family and I will be forever grateful for that day in January when we found Mr. Floyd Criswell. We love you...until we meet again...

Love, Mama, Papa, Connie, Clyde and Mika