My second story is of Angel Burgundy, a pure breed Australian Shepherd. We first met this little ball of white fluff at Wasatche Animal Rescue, part of a Salt Lake City retail pet supply store, Yuppie Puppie. She crawled into my partner's lap and all uncertainty about her future was forgotten. But our little Angel is "special," she's what is called a "lethal white." She is completely deaf and has limited sight. We had no idea what we were getting into when we brought her into our existing pack of three dogs (all with their own set of physical problems).

Her story is all to common for lethal white Australian Shepherds. Breed for her beautiful, predominately white Merle coat, she was to be destroyed by the breeder because she had no monetary value. The vet took pity, and asked if she could be surrendered to an animal rescue. There she stayed for nearly two months. She was unable to remain in the kennel because she was constantly attacked. (See, Angel cannot hear or see another dog warning her that her puppy enthusiasm was proving to be too much. This resulted in many dogs fights, where Angel had no clue what she had done wrong.) Instead she was allowed to roam the store, hanging out with the rescued cats and customers. Nearly everyone feel in love with this beautiful baby UNTIL they found out about her disabilities.

I had previously worked with deaf/blind kids, and had an older dog who had lost her sight due to a heredity issue. But nothing prepared us for Angel. Although there are days when I think she is quite misnamed (especially when she runs into my knee at full speed), she is quite literately my heart and I often lose my breathe with my overwhelming love for her. Angel is not "special" in the sense that her life is anything but normal and filled with everything her sisters can do. She hikes, snowshoes, swims, and loves to play with any dog that is willing. I often hear people express pity for Angel, but she will have none of that. All she wants from strangers, which is what most dogs want, is to be petted endlessly or played with, and all I want is for people to understand why her "kind" should never exist in the first place. Angel has passed basic dog obedience with flying colors and will sit, lay and stay if touched in the proper places (as for coming when "called" she's still an Aussie and stubborn to the core). This is Angel's story, not of a dog that is lacking but of one that can see the world better than anyone and can hear what the rest of us only dream of: happiness. .

Family photo 2005
Elisha is on the left, and I'm on the right. Indigo Blue is the black and white, beagle mix on the left with digestive problems and allergies. Other Jade (Yes, that is her name. She came with it and it just stuck) is the border collie mix next to Indigo. She under went three luxated patella surgeries before she was 18 months old. Then there is Moejo Reighn and Angel Burgundy. Missing is Mystik Nite, our chow/German Shepherd mix we recently adopted.

For Anne & Elisha's Story of Moejo...click here

Story: Anne and Elisha and the Dillon-Thomas Pack (Moejo Reighn, Indigo Blue, Other Jade, Angel Burgundy, and Mystik Nite)

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