Dr. Patsy Sledge is our proud pet owner this week and she is very happy with her three doggies varying in ages from 5 to 13 years. They are a combination of purchased and rescue pets. They were acquired at different times and for different reasons, but they have all found a loving home with Patsy.
Chappy is a Parti Yorkie - which is a traditional Yorkie with the only difference being a unique combination of black, white and tan fur. He is her “purchased” dog given to her by her sister, Virginia. Chappy was born on Christmas Eve of 2015 and was named after Patsy’s favorite seafood restaurant down on the Gulf Coast called Chappy’s Bistro in Gulfport.
Chappy is a little escape artist and must be watched carefully to keep him from running out the door. During one escape he ran into the traffic on Norfleet Drive and Patsy had to stop traffic both ways to get him out of the middle of the road. He also had another brush with trouble, when he got hung underneath a lift chair in his home and the Fire Dept had to use their mini-Jaws of Life to pry him out. But, miraculously he survived both episodes without injury.
Sammy is her “old timer” at 13 years old. He is a sweet little Shih Tzu that comes from Texas. His former owner passed away and Sammy no longer had a home. He touched Patsy’s heart and he has lived with her ever since.
And life would not be complete without The Duchess. Duchess is a 7 year old King Charles Spaniel mix given to her nephew Roy for Christmas by Patsy’s sister in Texas. Duchess was a “yard sale doggie” to be given away to whomever would give her a good home and Patsy has certainly done that.
Patsy is a softie who loves her pets very much. She shared with me that she had once “hocked” her car so she could pay for the cataract surgery that one of her former dogs had needed. She said, “Don’t let anyone tell you that there isn’t anything I won’t do for my dogs!”
All three sleep with her each night and have their own assigned spots and they don’t allow the other one to get in their spot! When asked if they performed tricks or obeyed her commands, she told me “no” they just love me and that’s all I need because they give me such joy! And I knew that’s all they had to do, because I saw the love that she had for each of them written all over her face.
