Dear Mama,
I have now arrived in heaven and finally have time to reflect on my life. I would like to share this with you.🐕
Although I was known at the shelter as ‘Ligero’, which translates as ‘light’ or ‘easy’, my life was quite the opposite! 😰
I didn't have a good person in my life at the beginning and I can vaguely remember being beaten. On top of that, I got little or poor food and as a result developed a breed-related bad itchy allergy. When it got really bad and I was already quite bald as an older dog, I was just dumped in one of the Majorcan rescue centres: Natura Parc.
Those who know the shady side of Mallorca also know what it means when your pet is simply disposed of in such collection centres!🥺
I was there for some time and suffered greatly from loneliness, the noise, the cold in winter and the heat in summer. Fortunately, my situation improved a little when I was allowed to move to another home. At the beginning, they took care of me there, so that my skin and fur improved. But later I was forgotten here too: my teeth became rotten and my gums became very inflamed, so that I could hardly eat. I was very thin and had severe bloody diarrhoea. I also had severe ear infections, which caused me a lot of pain. Due to osteoarthritis, I also had severe problems walking, as well as a few larger tumours that were putting pressure on my muscles. I also started to suffer from increasing dementia because I didn't have enough human interaction.😔
Nevertheless, I settled into my new home life as best I could by becoming friends with the two Alsatian dogs, Luna and Rayo, who were the same age as me. They gave me support in all my insecurity.
We didn't get to go for a walk. Nobody got us big old dogs out and so we instead did our daily circles in the small courtyard. Out of boredom, we often caused trouble at the cat enclosures and liked to bark at them threateningly. Nobody wanted to adopt us anyway.🥀
But one day, when we no longer expected any luck at all, you came, Mama. I will never forget that!🤗
Your beloved Teddy had died shortly before and your heart was completely broken. So you decided that you wanted to go for a walk with us three old German Shepherds – every other day. You took the whole morning for each walk and walked with us one at a time. This was fantastic because finally we were able to explore the world and stretch our lame limbs. At the end of the day, you often covered 12 km on such days just walking with us. You said that exhausted you completely physically, but it also made you extremely happy.🥰
So we all had a wonderful win-win situation together. When the three of us heard your voice from afar, we were already beside ourselves and howled with joy. After the second walk, I was already so in love that I wanted to go for a walk with you straight from the home when you wanted to go home. You explained, however, that this was not possible, because Teddy was so expensive for you in the end that a new old and sick dog unfortunately does not work for you. I was sad, but at every reunion I did everything I could to slip deeper into your heart.😏
My deep, sad eyes have served me well in this regard! 😚 After a short time, it was the case that you always left with me last (which made me very impatient), but the point was that in the end you had the most time for me.🤩
You quickly saw my health problems and fought to ensure that Rayo and I were allowed to see a vet. I then underwent a really big operation: 18 teeth were pulled, 3 tumours removed and my ears completely cleaned. It was clear that I couldn't go back to the shelter like that. So you offered to let me heal at your place for a while.🙂
This short-term cure turned out to be a wonderful 18 months, because you adopted me with the help of a lovely godmother and renamed me Nero. Yippee!🤗🥳
I learned from you that you don't have to bark at cats and that they can be wonderful friends. Captain and Lucy became my best buddies in this.
You dealt with all my health problems intensively from the beginning and made sure that I no longer had diarrhoea after a while. You were also able to contain the bad allergy and the skin and ear infections caused by it with regular treatments and the appropriate food. 🤩
You showed me the world from its most beautiful side, as I had never seen it before. We went for lots of walks and once I even went with you on a stand-up paddle board. That was super exciting, because I hardly knew water up to that point. But with you behind me, everything was fine, because I knew you were taking care of me.😚
Incidentally, I am very proud that in the short time we had together, I even became your muse for ‘Style Dog - Design with Strays’. WOW!
Otherwise, I loved sleeping for hours on end, eating yoghurt and secretly snatching cat food. But I always kept an eye on you, because I followed you everywhere you went, into every room. I wanted to be sure that you wouldn't escape again. I was most worried that you would disappear down the shower drain. So I checked the tub several times a day, which amused you a lot – especially when I could hardly get out of the narrow bathroom backwards and whimpered for help.🤪
Last year, I finally started to walk slower and slower. Two months ago, to make matters worse, I swallowed a fish hook that had been thrown away on the street.🙈 Fortunately, it was successfully removed from his stomach under anaesthesia. Thanks to dear Berni, who bought me this rescue!😘
After that, you thought it could go on well with me for a while. But in the past few weeks, I quickly deteriorated further in terms of my health. For a long time, it was not clear what was wrong with me. The allergy and skin inflammation were almost impossible to treat, and all of my lymph nodes were swollen to the point of bursting. All of the laborious bathing was no longer helping. Finally, the vet recently discovered that I had blood cancer.😞
During this time, with the help of my dear godmother Sina, you did everything you could to ensure that I had a good and painless time.
Unfortunately, in the last 24 hours of my life, it didn't go as planned, because something incredible happened to us both. 🚔🚨:
You wanted to quickly get me some chicken from the supermarket here in the harbour that evening. You had taken me with you so that we could walk a few metres together. Due to all my ailments, it was not possible for me to sit in the back seat of the car. Besides, I never felt safe there, but very shaky. So, as always, I crawled into the footwell of the passenger seat and curled up there, weighing 40 kg by then. I didn't mind and I always liked doing it because I wanted to be with you!
So we went for a short walk, then went to the supermarket and wanted to get home quickly so I could eat my chicken.🐔
But then the shock😳: In the solitude of the winter harbour, the local police had considered setting up a police check with three police cars and several police officers. I remember you saying that they were probably looking for someone in particular at such a gathering. We could certainly just drive by.
But no! 😱We were pulled over and the policeman shone his light on me. You had to pull over because I was in the footwell. Another police officer said that I had to go to the back seat. The safer place in the footwell would not be allowed. You were upset and said that I am very old and have cancer. You only bought chicken for me for a short time and we only live 800 metres away. The police officer remained adamant.🤯
He made you get out, wake me up and drag me out of the car. It was very difficult for me, as I was still asleep. Finally, I stood next to the car some time later, completely dazed and disoriented. The policeman now saw that I was really old and sick. You, Mama, were completely distraught because you had to squeeze me into the back of the car next. You knew how hard it would be for me. Following the instructions, you carefully pulled me to the car by the harness and lifted me into the car as far as you could. However, I could hardly make it up the seat. So you at least placed my front paws on the seat. Then you carefully lifted me from behind to push me forward, but that hurt me a lot. I cried out loudly several times, mainly because my hind paws were stuck on the upholstery. You spoke soothingly to me and looked desperately at the policeman, who was now looking a little ashamed at the street. Finally, you managed to get me to lie down in the back seat. I tried to calm down.
It was all so bad!😩
The check continued. Eventually you were fined a shocking €200 before we were finally allowed to go home after almost an hour. At home you had problems getting out the back door again. That also hurt me. When we finally arrived at the apartment, we were both still in shock and I was in a lot of pain, despite regular painkillers.😢
The next morning, 29 January 1955, I was still in great pain in my legs and in the afternoon I was no longer able to get up. Although it hadn't seemed likely that day, you later called Antonio with a heavy heart to come and release me. I was still so agitated that the sedative didn't really work well. Just like the night before when you checked on me, I screamed several times before I could finally take my last breath. 😶🌫️
You lovingly laid me on a randomly chosen beach towel that you had once made for Lufthansa. As I lay on it, you saw that I was apparently flying away on the depicted aeroplane. Away from all the torments and pains of my life. But unfortunately also away from you. The only person who gave me at least the last 18 months ‘a little bit of paradise’.
Thank you, mum! I'll love you from heaven and now lie together with Teddy and Johnny and all your deceased cats on cloud nine. We'll be with you – always!🐕🐈🐕🐈⬛🐕🐈🐈
Your transition dog Nero❤️
(I know you miss me)
PS: Please don't forget to put our joint film for Style Dog on Kickstarter. We wanted to do crowdfunding together so that even more poor dog souls get a chance at a good home. Others need luck too! Draw attention to them and collect money for marketing! 🫶🙌
A dog's farewell letter
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