In 2001 our beloved Queensland/Aussie - Crook - passed two days from his 16th birthday. We were devastated, and I felt I needed time to grieve. My husband gathered his remaining food and treats and took them to our shelter Western Arizona Humane Society, a day later. He told them we would eventually adopt and wanted another Queensland mix. They called the next day about a 4 month old pup mix. I reluctantly went with him to look at this pup. Walking to the pen I noted my husband did a “double look” at a red pup and continued. Looking at the mix (hiding in the corner) we asked to see him in the exercise area. We asked for the red pup as well. The mix, cowered and piddled, had to be carried. Once off the leash he ran around and played with the red pup. The mix was a boy and red was a girl. She was a ball of energy and also 4 months old. We named him Dingus and her Twister. Dingus has no Queensland in him but several other breeds. Twister is, we believe, a Red Pincher. We surprised the staff when we took both of them. They had to stay overnight, then to the vet for neutering/spaying where we picked them up. We had asked that they be put together so they could bond, and we took back many new toys and played with them. We took them to their forever home on Crook’s birthday; that was his gift to us, to help another shelter dog; in this case two. Crook had been a shelter pup too. I still grieve over Crook, but am so very happy to have had our two “babies”. As years have passed, so have Dingus and Twister and Patches. We are now the proud parents of Dixie kitty, Roxy our big girl, and little Bandit. Thank you Western Arizona Humane Society, Lake Havasu City, Arizona, USA.

Linda Gromov
LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ