My husband Jim and I first brought CW Rob Roy home as a foster dog. We already had one greyhound, Cypress, and enjoyed fostering. "Robbie", as we called him, immediately became a part of our family. He was a tall, dark, and handsome brindle boy, with soulful brown eyes you couldn't help but fall for. He bonded right away with Cypress and became attached to me at the hip. He was a very happy boy, always smiling, bowing, and giving more kisses than you could handle. He was shy of new people and loud noises, but once he knew you and he was comfortable, you had a friend for life. He had such a whimsical temperament and was a complete klutz, but was so endearing at the same you couldn't help but love him. We frequently joked that he was our "special" boy.
After being in our home for a few months I noticed that Robbie seemed to drink more water and needed to go outside more often than Cypress. Blood work revealed that he was in the beginning stages of kidney failure, but with careful management could still live a happy and comfortable life. My husband and I decided to adopt Robbie once we learned of his condition; we loved him so much already it was an easy decision to make. We instituted a special kidney diet, and arranged for careful monitoring of his condition by an internist, and then just enjoyed having him as one of our boys.
Even though Robbie and Cypress completed our family we decided to continue fostering and took in "Legal Authority" aka Wiseman, whom we call Manny. The Brindle boys, as we liked to refer to them were an energetic trio whose antics brightened our days. They were our children and played a major role in our lives.
In May of 2007, tragedy struck when we decided to take all three of the dogs with us to visit Jim’s parents in Tampa for Mother's Day. While we were out to dinner the dogs had managed to open the door of the house where we had left them and had escaped. It was a push latch that unlocked once turned, and we had completely overlooked it as a danger. We were contacted almost immediately by a couple who found Cypress running around in their backyard. We searched the area for the rest of the night and for days to follow, but turned up no sign of Robbie or Manny. Groups of volunteers from Tampa and Orlando GPA chapters helped us search, paper the neighborhoods with flyers, and call area vets and shelters. It was the worst week of our lives.
A miracle occurred when a week after the dogs disappearance Jim received a phone call from someone managing a storage yard that had seen a greyhound living in the ditch behind his property. Jim and his father immediately went to the spot and found a very scared Manny running wild, and managed to catch him. He was emaciated, covered in ant bites, and filthy, but he was alive. We immediately took him to a vet and started him on IV fluids and antibiotics; he had no major injuries and would recover given time. We had our Manny back, but still hadn't found Robbie. We continued searching, praying, and hoping that another miracle would happen and bring Robbie home.
A week after Manny was brought home I received the phone call I had prayed wouldn't come; a homeowner had found Robbie's body on his property near the water not far from where he had gotten loose.
Robbie's ashes were returned to us along with his collar and tags, but his spirit had never left. We try to think of how happy he was to have a home and brothers who loved him, and all of the good times when the grief bears down on us. We try to lighten our burden of guilt by knowing that Robbie is an good place, and even though his time with us was brief is was special and we will see him again someday.
We adopted Manny soon after he was recovered and are working up to taking in another long term foster. We are so blessed to have our two boys still with us and think of Robbie every time we go for a walk and know that there should be three where now there is only two. As time heals our hearts, and Cypress and Manny heal our souls, we will go on to adopt more greyhounds, but we will always remember our special boy, Robbie.
We miss you Robbie,
Love Bethany, Jim, Cypress, and Manny