Guest guest Posted September 10, 2002 Report Share Posted September 10, 2002 >From: Heavenly Inspirations >Date: Friday, September 06, 2002 22:51:02 >To: Undisclosed-Recipient@... >Subject: Queenie > > > > > >~ Queenie ~ > > >During my years in animal welfare work, I served as the President of the >American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. I have heard >wonderful stories about the power of the human-animal bond. One of my >favorites is about a girl and her very special dog. > >When the girl was born, her parents were stationed with the U.S. Army >overseas. The tiny baby spiked a fever of 106 degrees and when they couldn >t help her at the military base, the baby and her family were flown home to >the United States where she could receive the proper medical care. > >The alarming fever kept recurring, but the baby survived. When the episode >was over, the child was left with 13 different seizure causes, including >epilepsy. She had what was called Multiple Seizure Syndrome and had >several >seizures every day. Sometimes she stopped breathing. > >As a result, the little girl could never be left alone. She grew to be a >teenager and if her mother had to go out, her father or brothers had to >accompany her everywhere, including to the bathroom, which was awkward for >everyone involved. But the risk of leaving her alone was too great and so, >for lack of a better solution, things went on in this way for years. > >The girl and her family lived near a town where there was a penitentiary >for >women. One of the programs there was a dog-training program. The inmates >were taught how to train dogs to 1) foster a sense of competence and 2) as >a >job skill for the time when they left the prison. Although most of the >women had serious criminal backgrounds, many made excellent dog trainers >and >often trained service dogs for the handicapped while serving their time. > >The girl's mother read about this program and contacted the penitentiary to >see if there was anything they could do for her daughter. They had no idea >how to train a dog to help a person in the girl's condition, but her family >decided that a companion animal would be good for the girl, as she had >limited social opportunities and they felt she would enjoy a dog's company. > >The girl chose a random-bred dog named Queenie and, together with the women >at the prison, trained her to be an obedient pet. > >But, Queenie had other plans. She became a " seizure- alert " dog, letting >the girl know when a seizure was coming on, so that the girl could be ready >for it. > >I heard about Queenie's amazing abilities and went to visit the girl's >family and meet Queenie. At one point during my visit, Queenie became >agitated and took the girl's wrist in her mouth and started pulling her >towards the living room couch. Her mother said, " Go on now. Listen to >what >Queenie's telling you. " > >The girl went to the couch, curled up in a fetal position, facing the back >of the couch and within moments started to seize. The dog jumped on the >couch and wedged herself between the back of the couch and the front of the >girl's body, placing her ear in front of the girl's mouth. > >Her family was used to this performance. But, I watched, in open-mouthed >astonishment, as the girl finished seizing and Queenie relaxed with her on >the couch, wagging her tail and looking for all the world like an ordinary >dog, playing with her mistress. > >Then, the girl and her dog went to the girl's bedroom as her parents and I >went to the kitchen for coffee. A little while later, Queenie came >barreling down the hallway, barking. She did a U-turn in the kitchen and >then went racing back to the girl's room. > > " She's having a seizure, " the mother told me. The girl's father got up, in >what seemed to me a casual manner for someone whose daughter often stopped >breathing, and walked back to the bedroom after Queenie. > >My concern must have been evident on my face because the girl's mother >smiled and said, " I know what you're thinking. But you see, that's not the >bark Queenie uses when my daughter stops breathing. " > >I shook my head in amazement. Queenie, the self-taught angel, proved to >me, >once again, how utterly foolish it is to suppose that animals don't think >or >can't communicate. > > > >Roger Caras > > >--- >Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. >Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). >Version: 6.0.385 / Virus Database: 217 - Release Date: 9/4/02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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