We had a wonderful border collie named Bonnie. She was scary smart. She would never fetch. You would throw a stick, and her look clearly said, "If you wanted that, then why did you just throw it away?"
She loved walks. I would go to the closet for my running shoes, and she would run into the bedroom, bouncing and howling her joy to my drowsy wife. When on the walks, she would voluntarily stop at corners to wait for my crossing command. She also taught me that groundhogs can in fact climb trees, when they are given enough of an incentive.
She did not sleep with us--except when I was sick. She would curl up in the curve of my legs, offering me all she could--her body warmth and her comforting presence.
She was a sweetheart. When we had to put her to sleep due to cancer, it traumatized the entire family. Our vet even sat in the floor with us and cried throughout the entire visit. After a number of months, we contacted border collie rescue to try to adopt one of their dogs.
We failed. Our swimming pool was not fenced, though border collie drownings are hen's teeth like events, and we train our less water-loving dogs to swim to the steps out of the pool.
Our range fencing (basically 4x4 squares) around our five acres was considered too dangerous--the border collie might stick her head thru one of the square and injure herself. Our comment concerning that potential threat may have sealed the deal-- "I can't think of a border collie being that stupid." None of our other dogs had such a problem.
But, we received the bad news and of course took it badly. Oh, our vet did make us feel slightly better when she failed her home visit with Great Dane rescue, though she had owned Great Danes for over a decade.
I know that rescue is a noble thing. I'm know that these people give their time, energy, and probably other resources to protect the animals in their charge. I am sure those folks meant well. But, it was their job to find the dogs good homes, not to throw roadblocks in their paths to loving, forever homes.
I still miss my Bonnie Girl, but we have, as always, been blessed with our other pets. One of whom is snoring ever so slightly at the foot of the bed as I write. Soon, he will bounce up and taunt us with one of his stuffed toys. He will win the tussle and prove yet again his natural superiority and his ownership of the members of his stuffed menagerie.
My wife asked me why I am writing this. I am not really sure. A pet story on some site jogged my memory, and this vignette slipped out and brought with it the memory of our disappointment. But, it also carried with it sweet memories of our smart, loving girl. We Kossers live full lives. Sometimes, something beyond politics and social justice seems worth a few words.