In Memory of Annie 1994-2008

Annie in Eliana's arms

I cherished my little girl.

I found her 14 years ago, during the month of May. I caught this little ball of matted and unkempt fur running through the rocks and the vegetation on the side of the country road we were driving on. My husband and I were returning home from town - a 12 mile trip, totally in the boondocks.

She, a Maltese, and her little companion, a very small poodle, did not even look like dogs. Their dirty hair had grown very long and matted and made them look like some unrecognizable wild animals. They had obviously been lost for some time. I still don't know how they survived in the desert, maybe by eating insects. They both were unusually still fond of insects long after they had been brought back to health at my house.

That day, when we stopped the truck, they ran across the road away from us, and in a minute, they were already gone, deeper into the desert brush. I ran after them as quickly as I could, over the rocks and around the cactus...with my high heels and dress....must have been a funny sight!

It took over 45 min of running and trying to coax them both. Annie, a tiny little girl-dog at the time, only a couple of months old, was tangled up in a cholla cactus. A piece of long-needled cholla was caught between her little legs, against her skin and her matted hair. She could not go any further. She stopped, waiting for me to reach her...uneasy...totally exhausted and surely in pain.

It took all I had to coax her without being bitten by the little poodle who was protecting her. I was afraid they both might run from me again. I finally picked her up and the poodle, which I later named Amos, followed a few feet behind us.


Eliana with Amos (left) and Annie(right)

It took many weeks for me to bring Amos and Annie back to health. They were in very bad shape. I took care of Annie's infection caused by the piece of cholla embedded in her skin. Amos and Annie were very afraid of people. My husband could not pet them for months. They ran back to me as soon as he started to walk towards them, and they hid behind my feet or got very close against my legs.

During the summer, they became my constant companions and I was in seventh heaven. Amos and Annie would not leave me for a second when I was home. I absolutely adored the two little ones. Later on that same summer, Amos was caught by three coyotes. I will never forget that tragic experience. But Annie and I became even more attached to each other. She was my precious little angel - we had a very special bond, she and I. I called her my "Scoobidoo Love Bug". I really miss my little angel.


Chacotah, Eliana & Annie