Today, we should have been celebrating Cassie’s 12th Gotcha Day. 12 years since we adopted her from Bath Cats & Dogs Home. Very sadly Cassie passed away last Summer, after a short but very serious illness, which left us shocked and heartbroken. We are still mostly heartbroken, but we have so many wonderful memories of our girl and so, while she may not be with us as she once was (though I very much feel she is still around), we are celebrating the 11 wonderful years we did share with her, through our tears.
Cassie ~ quite an old photo now, but one of my favourites of her
Cassie was my first rescue dog and my husband’s first ever dog. After we had been together a while (and I was starting to go a little crazy, having not lived with a dog since I’d left home years before), we started looking for a dog of our own. I had been sure for some time that my dogs would be rescue dogs. I wasn’t involved in rescue back then, but I knew there was a problem with unwanted dogs and I really wanted to give a dog a second chance at life.
We found a rescue centre not far from us – Bath Cats & Dogs Home – and made our way up there one weekend to look at the dogs they had for adoption. I wasn’t as familiar with the bus systems around Bath back then and so we ended up alighting at a point I did know and then walking up this HUGE hill. I wouldn’t have walked up that hill for anything other than a dog! When we arrived at the rescue centre, we walked around with a pen and paper noting the dogs we thought may be suitable for us. They were all lovely. We had a few noted down and then we passed by some kennels and suddenly re-traced our steps when I realised there was a gap between the kennel runs for visitors to walk down. We ventured down and in front of us, bathing in the glorious sunshine, was the most beautiful brindle dog. She looked so calm and serene amongst the natural noise of a large kennels. We’d found our dog.
Her name was Cassie (I suspect you guessed that bit) and we checked she was available and took her for a walk. I think I was in love within about a second (somewhat of a record even for me). My husband I both adored her instantly and decided she was the one. We headed back to the centre and asked to adopt her. A lady told us she thought Cassie was already reserved! I burst into tears. The poor lady ran off to check and came back to advise that the reserve had been taken off. Phew! We put our name down for her and a home visit was to be arranged.
Back then the rescue’s reception ran from a small-ish building and the dogs’ records were kept on index cards with paper attached (somewhat removed from the modern computer systems now used). I was a little worried that our reserve would become detached from Cassie’s record card so I wrote to the Home just to confirm we’d reserved her and sent her a dried sausage dog treat (as you do). The home visit was arranged for a few days time and, after getting the OK for that, we arranged to bring her home the following day.
Earlier I mentioned how calm and serene Cassie had looked when we first met. I think she must have seen us coming and put on her best behaviour hat. When a wonderful friend of mine drove me to the rescue to finalise the adoption and bring Cassie home, I was greeted by something of a different dog! She dragged the kennel girl into reception and bounced at me. Well she was a year old! She had managed to have a little discussion (I suspect over food) with a kennel mate and her ear had got torn. It was bleeding and the rescue had bandaged it, but the bandage made her dizzy and she kept shaking it off. It wasn’t quite the meeting I was expecting, but she was my girl now and she was coming home!
I remember our first evening at home with her – we ordered a pizza to save cooking and Cassie decided it was her home coming meal and was very keen to share. She maintained this interest in food as a life-long passion. I remember sleeping downstairs with her for the first few nights to help her settle in, although I think she knew she was home minutes after arriving. She never seemed worried or confused about being with us.
We went on to adopt numerous rescue dogs after her and Cassie welcomed them all into our family. It did take her a few months to fully accept the whirlwind which is Max, but they became the best of friends and could always be found snuggled up together. She was so gentle with the oldies we have taken in, was incredibly patient with the little pup we fostered for a week after she was rescued from a difficult situation – and when we adopted our first rescue puppy a few years back, she took on the role of BBSE (Best Big Sister Ever).
BBSE
Cassie was so gentle with her little Sis and they loved to play together. Even after Cassie became seriously ill, she and her by then grown-up sister, would roll around on the floor rar-rar-rar-ing (those with multiple dogs will understand!).
It was Cassie who first got our rather nervous/sensitive Collie boy to play. I still remember my tears of joy when I saw them chasing in the garden. She also understood his little quirks and accepted that if he occasionally sat on her as though she was just another sofa cushion, he didn’t mean any harm by it.
Cassie LOVED the heat. If it was a warm, sunny day she would lay in the sunshine for as long as we would let her. One of my favourite pre-digital photos is of her basking on the patio with Max. When Winter came, she loved us to light the stove in the living room. She would lie in front of it come late afternoon, hinting that it was time for the stove to be lit. She would get so close to the heat that she’d be resting her head on the hearth (didn’t look particularly comfortable to us but she seemed happy – and always supervised, of course). She had me well trained too. I would put a blanket on the radiator before bed-times so I could snuggle her up in it, on the sofa, for a cosy night.
Our darling girl was not so fond of the cold or wet. She was not fond of being asked to go outside even just to toilet, in the rain and she had a pretend-bob if the grass was a bit wet for her liking, so she didn’t have to actually go. Come night-time and Cassie would do a very good impression of a dog-asleep (or deaf!) when asked to get off the sofa to go out for a last wee before bed. Cassie was what one might call happily lazy
Cassie, as mentioned earlier, had a life-long love of food. I have probably painted a picture of perfection so far, but she was not perfect (who is) and food was one of her imperfections. It wasn’t quite so funny at the time, but I do recall the time my husband spent ages making a pizza starting with some yummy olive bread we’d been given. It was all topped up and ready to go in the oven when he made the fatal mistake of visiting the bathroom without the dog. I won’t repeat the words he used when returning to the kitchen, but Cassie definitely seemed to enjoy her pizza.
She tried to make us a cake once too. At least I think that was what she was aiming for, when we returned to find eggs smashed/eaten and the floor and her face covered in flour. She also had a bit of a habit of wanting to delve into the bin, so the kitchen bin became the bathroom bin. We did feed her, honest!
Sisters
One of the best things about Cassie – and there were many great things – was snuggling up with her on the sofa. She LOVED the sofa. She was a nice chunky-built girl whose lower end made an excellent pillow for those cosy evenings relaxing on the sofa. She didn’t fidget like the other dogs do when I try to use their bum as a pillow, either. I miss that snuggling, though my other dogs will cuddle too and Max has tried to oblige me by being more accepting of me resting my head on his behind at times.
Cassie, we miss you every day, though it definitely feels as though you are still around. You were there for me through some of the darkest times and I am not sure I could have got through things without you and Max by my side.
Thank you for being the most wonderful brindle girl. We are so grateful to have been able to share the vast majority of your life with you. Your brothers and sister feel we should celebrate tonight by giving them a Gotcha Day dinner on your behalf, so we shall be doing that and thinking of you. Love you always.
However after three trips to nice places, he is much improved, although he is still wary of vans – and some men, poor boy
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