Kayla

April 15, 1997 to June 16, 2010

Dear friends and members of MWCR,

It is with extreme sadness that we bring you word of the passing of our sweet Collie girl Kayla.

Kayla was in good spirits and active until a few days ago. Suddenly she took a turn for the worse. She was not eating, and was getting progressively weaker.

Tuesday night we took her in to the clinic for a work up. Through x-rays, ultra sound and needle biopsy, it was determined that she had cancer in her lungs and liver. We made the painful discussion to say good-bye to her before she had to endure any great suffering.

Kayla crossed over to the Rainbow Bridge Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 at 8:30PM. We sat with her on the lush green lawn of our back yard where she loved to take naps in the sun. We held her in our arms as she was helped on her journey to the Rainbow Bridge by Dr. Barbara Rossi, who has been Kayla’s doctor all these many happy years.

Kayla was born, McKayla Angel Roberts on April 15, 1997, and lived at her home in Oshkosh with her owner and her 2 daughters. On July 3rd 2004, at the age of 7 years 3 months Kayla’s owner surrendered her to the Oshkosh Area Humane Society. Kayla had wandered off several times, and her unemployed owner could no longer afford the fees to have her released from the pound. In addition the owner’s daughters had gone off to college and Kayla no longer had anyone to play with, or take her for walks. And to compound matters, the neighborhood kids were terrorizing her by throwing fire crackers at her when she was in her back yard. So poor little Kayla was surrendered to the shelter.

In the spring of 2004, our hound Weaver and our Collie Shadow had passed on. We were lonely and so we had just adopted our collie Oscar and we were looking for a female companion for Oscar to play with, when we first became aware of MWCR. We applied for adoption, and were approved.

Fortunately, right about that time, MWCR became aware of Kayla’s predicament and she came into our rescue. Cheri Masino drove to Oshkosh and picked up Kayla and fostered her. Kayla was the first rescue Collie we adopted, and she is the reason we became MWCR members and got involved in rescue.

We will forever owe Cheri a debt of gratitude for allowing us to adopt her foster Kayla. God Bless you Cheri, You gave us the most precious gift ever. We love you!

Kayla was a very special little Collie. Somehow Kayla was born with the “retrieving” gene. Her favorite pastime was for you to throw something and have her chase after it. She would run after it barking her little heart out. Then she would run back to you with it, drop it at your feet and stand there barking at you to “do it again”. This could go for a half hour or more until she got tired. Then she would rest a bit and start it up all over again. It was an absolute joy to play with this incredibly happy and energetic, little girl.

She was a small Collie. At her heaviest she was only about 50 pounds, and could she run like the wind. But like many small dogs, she made up for what she lacked in stature, with feistiness. She could run and play and tussle with our three large males and they learned a keen respect for Kayla’s ability to defend herself against the “mob of 3” boys. She was very Spunky!

Like most dogs Kayla loved to have her back scratched. And when you would scratch her back she had the cutest little habit of dancing back and forth with her hind legs as if to say “Oh thank you, that feels soooo good”. And as the only Girl, we gave her preferential treatment and she was allowed to sleep on our bed with us. She was just so adorable. We will miss our little girl more than words can express.

Kayla’s feistiness and indomitable spirit, were her qualities, which now, have left such a big empty black hole in our hearts. She can never be replaced, and she will live on in our hearts, forever.

These attached photos of Kayla were taken on her last afternoon with us. Even though she was weak and was having a hard time walking and breathing, she was brave, was sweet and loveable right up to the very end.

There are now 6 waiting at the “Bridge” for Tamy and I. Ginger, Sarah, Butters, Weaver, Shadow, and Kayla. God willing, we will have a grand reunion with all of our fur babies again someday.

Collie hugs, and God’s blessings to all of our dear friends and MWCR members,

Bob and Tamy Galanter, Oscar, Lucky and Atlas