Picture of Newman

Crossed the Rainbow Bridge on January 3, 2006

To all our special friends:

I just want to let you know that Newman crossed the Rainbow Bridge today. He could no longer deal with the pain his body wrenched on his precious soul. He paced, panted and could not lay down; afraid of the pain that made him cry out when he stood up. Damn the back yard breeders who breed these dogs to a size beyond what their joints can withstand - all in the name of money.

Newman was a rescue dog, having spent his life in a kennel neglected the first part of his life. Rest assured when he came to us for the last two years of his life, he was finally happy. I always called him "Newman Hardy" because I wanted him to know he had a family. When I pulled him from a shelter, he had surgery to remove the large growth on his gums the vet believed was from pulling on the kennel fence. He also had two surgeries to correct the eye entropia that since birth had left his eyelashes to scrape and irritate on his cornea. But despite the joint supplements and anti-inflammatories, we couldn't fix his hips and the damage of two vertebra fusing together - most likely caused by his breeding and jumping up and down in a kennel begging for attention. I also want you to know Newman had a heart of gold, kind to every rescue dog that we fostered and also to our grandson. Newman's tail would wiggle like crazy - and he thought he was the bomb when a female was here.

Tonight I hugged Annie and told her I'm sorry she lost her dear friend. She was with Dave as he laid Newman to rest out by the barn where he loved to run and explore in the hay field. I remember when Newman came to us two years ago and he didn't know what to do with all the space to run. The only thing that eases our pain is the happiness he felt as a member of our family. He slept in our bedroom, and if I got up before Dave in the morning, he would wait for Dave. Then he would let out a big, loud, deep yawn, knowing that Dave did the fun morning routine of feeding the horses, the barn cats and the walk around the field for all the great smells. He truly lived for days outside with Dave and our other animals.

What we will miss so very much is pulling into the garage and seeing Newman come running to the car door, prancing and giving us that big smile showing us every huge tooth he had. Most people would have thought he was going to eat them up - we knew it was his way of saying, "I'm glad you're home, I've missed you, and I'm so happy to have a family."

These are a couple of my favorite pictures of Newman. Every time the sun came out, you could bet he would be sleeping sunning his belly. So tonight, please go hug those special in your lives - do it in Newman's memory. He would be happy to know that he could spread some of the love and acceptance he felt as "Newman Hardy."

Gina and Dave Hardy
Airedale Terrier Rescue and Adoption

 

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Airedale Information

The ATCA Rescue & Adoption Committee maintains and updates a network of contacts across the country to aid in the re-homing of purebred Airedale Terriers who are lost or abandoned. These contacts are volunteers located in several states, as well as Canada, working to help Airedales in need, adopting them to permanent loving homes.
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