Sparky McGee is gone...
It was very sudden, either a heart attack or a stroke, the vet wasn't sure which. He had been fine all day and then late that night he had a spasm and fell down. I knew something was very wrong and scooped him up. Moments later he died in my arms as I was telling him he was a very good boy and that we loved him very much.
Sparky had a great last day, there had been plenty of tennis ball retrieving, snuggling with John on the couch, playing keep-away with BeBe and even extra dog treats. We had been to vet that day and the vet had exclaimed over how well he was doing. Sparky enjoyed the vet visit. He loved meeting new people and getting MORE dog treats! We were very happy.
Even though his health was always precarious, Sparky’s sudden death was a shock and we miss him terribly. He has left a large hole in our lives; he was such a force of energy in our house. We keep looking around, expecting him to dash through the doorway with a tennis ball in his mouth and come up to us for pets and his ever present questions--I love you! Do you love me? I love you! Do you love me?
Thank you so much for sending out his message to your friends. Through your efforts the Sparky McGee Medical Fund has received many donations and still continues to get more. Which is good, because even though Sparky is gone, the bills are still here. :-(
Fran, John and Marcel
Spotlight on Sparky from the LOVE OF DOG BAKERY!
Love of Dog Bakery has made Sparky their charity of the month for February. They are a locally owned bakery specializing in homemade dog bones for your dogs. We received some as holiday gifts and our guys absolutely loved the special creations!
Love of Dog Bakery is committed to helping animals in need. That's why 5% of all sales made each month are donated to a local or national charity to benefit animals. Their philosophy is that any amount, no matter how large or small, can make a great difference in the life of a needy animal and the good work these organizations accomplish every day.
We encourage all of Sparky's friends to check out the amazing gourmet treats baked for the Love of Dog! Check out "Sparky's Favorite Links" for their website.
How we came to know Sparky McGee
We met Sparky McGee in October. The Humane Society of Dorchester County had rescued him from death due to starvation, but they knew that he needed more time and attention than their shelter could provide, and they asked us to foster him.
Physically he was just a heap of skin and bones, but he had a lively grin, boundless energy, and a longing for tennis balls.
Marcel, John and Fran have helped Sparky McGee gain 15 pounds (about 10 more to go!) and cared for him through a whole series of medical problems. We’ve taught him to eat more slowly, to go up stairs, and to sit still for kisses. He’s taught us that love and devotion can come in the most unlikely packages.
Through all of his medical problems he’s been patient and happy and goofy and grateful for every hug, dog treat or tennis ball that comes his way. He's a good boy!
So, we’re doing all that we can. We monitor him closely and kiss him and love him very much. We know that every day that we have with Sparky is a gift and that we are truly lucky to have him with us.
(By the way, Sparky is available for retrieving any hard to reach tennis balls that may have gotten away.)
Marcel took on the daunting task of turning Sparky McGee from a stray used to living on the streets into a civilized and happy pet. Sparky was with Marcel for the first six weeks of his recovery.
One of the hardest aspects of the job was making sure that Sparky survived Marcel and vice versa. Sparky liked to be close to his new friend. Very close. We call foster dogs who do this "Velcro dogs". Where ever you are, the Velcro dog is as close to you as he can be.
This can be dangerous for all involved. Marcel is almost 200 lbs, Sparky was 45 lbs. If Marcel brought home large packages from the grocery store and couldn't see that Sparky was 1.6 inches in front of him, sometimes Sparky would get knee'd or clobbered pretty good. Sparky didn't mind and seemed to never get bothered or hurt always returningto the usual 1-2 inch distance. Marcel had several bruises to prove this.
Marcel's first task was to teach Sparky not to mark in the house. Living on his own, Sparky had decided that he needed to claim everything around him as his own.
So he marked. He marked the trees, the bushes, the clumps of grass. He marked the railings, the doors, the trashcans, the kitchen cabinets...He marked everything. Outside or inside. Moving or not. The need to claim things was paramount.
Sometimes his attempts were futile. He'd designate a bush to be marked--would even lift his leg on the bush. Very high and very proud to be claiming this bush in the name of Sparkonia! But it was just a show, because after 20 or so markings, he was all out!
Marcel nicely curbed this activity by crate training Sparky and setting up a regular schedule of walks and backyard bathroom breaks.
In fact, Sparky only tried once to mark inside at Marcel's house. One of his first days there Sparky began to make the tell tale figure 8 around the bookshelf. Marcel's "NO!" reaction was strong enough to tell Sparky that Marcel, the source-of-all-good-things, didn't like that. He never tried again. Smart Sparky!
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