TheBanyanTree: When Tragedy Strikes . . .

[Roger Pye]

(I wrote this story three days ago and have thought long and hard about 
sending it to the Tree. I have come to the conclusion that there are 
lessons in it for everyone who cares for or has a love for animals. It is a 
story about our two dogs and their family (us) - distressing in parts but 
there is also hope for the future or so I think.)

When Tragedy Strikes - Where does one turn for Help?

It is my habit to rise early, around 6am, to let Matilda our German Shepherd
out for a run in the garden, feed our Yorkshire terrier Miss Ruby and our
three cats Alberta, Woodstock and Caspar, in the house and then give
Matilda her two cups of dry food (breakfast - her main meal) outside on the
deck, then rekindle the wood heater in the living room. Chop wood carry
water. This morning (Tue 26 Aug) was no different - I worked on the 
computer for an hour
or so after Robin went to work at 8.20 then showered and dressed for an
11am appointment with my neurochiropractor - but I was to treat him, not he
treat me.

In any case it was not to be for at 11am I was standing in the kitchen with
Ruby under one arm and my other hand under a stream of cold water in an
attempt to stop blood welling from it for long enough for me to reach the
mobile phone in my pocket. I managed it, somehow, punched the buttons which
should connect me with Robin. Thankfully she answered the tones quickly.
"Hello." Oh, happy voice from her, sad news from me. "It's me. I need you,
here, right away. I just separated Ruby from Matilda who had her by the
throat and was shaking her like she was a rag doll. She's hurt, I don't
know how bad but there's blood on her throat and ears . ." And the floor
too I thought. "OK, I'll be there shortly, I'm leaving
now. How's Matilda?" "Don't know, she's in her kennel now and on her chain,
I'll get to her soon as I can."

No time to think - later I could not remember having had one clear thought
process from hearing Ruby's squeals as I was half dressed until I handed
her over at the vet clinic at 11.20 - I grabbed a clean towel from the
cupboard, dropped it on the floor and placed Ruby on it, found a hankie and
wrapped it tightly around the finger on my left hand which Matilda had
bitten as I held her up in the air with the other. (How had I done that -
30 kilos of one dog plus six kilos of another - held up with my right
hand?) I punched another number . . "Kippax Veterinary Clinic, Samantha
speaking," Very quickly I told her the story. "I'll be there in 15 minutes
with Ruby," pressed 'end' turned to pick her up - no dog! I found her under
our bed where she always retreats when in trouble. Stretch two of the
morning - there isn't much room in our main bedroom but somehow I managed
to upend the king-sized bed, steady it with one hand whilst I reefed Ruby
out from under with the other, all in about 30 seconds. A few minutes later
I was driving up the road with the little dog wrapped in the towel on the
passenger seat - Robin's ute turned into our street just as I reached the
end of it. I updated her and went on.

The vet clinic has a routine - weigh the patient before checking in. I
placed Ruby on the scale - she just lay still as she had in the car - 5.6
kilos, picked her up, took her to the counter and handed her to a
receptionist, no forms to fill in, she took the terrier straight out to the
surgery as I turned back to the door muttering something about Matilda. In
the carpark I met Robin and we both went back to reception. A few minutes
later the senior vet John (the man who owns the practice) came to see us.
Ruby was in deep shock, they had cleaned her up, given her pain relief and
put her on a drip. "She's very depressed, very quiet, but I think she'll be
OK. I'd like to keep her here, give us a call about 3pm would you?" I
signed the requisite yellow form and we left, me to go home, Robin back to
work.

I had rung the chiropractor from reception and made another appointment for
the following week, all I had to do now was check Matilda thoroughly (Robin
had already confirmed there was no obvious damage) and tidy the house up.
Within half an hour I was sitting on the deck with my back to the door,
Matilda off her chain and lying down between my legs. She wouldn't keep
still; very quietly I said "Matilda, I have to check you all over, please
let me do it." She quietened instantly, I felt her everywhere, found
nothing untoward, sat back and closed my eyes. Almost right away I felt her
tongue slosh across my face two or three times then a slight movement then
nothing else. Opening my eyes I saw she had gone into her kennel, had
curled up in a position which allowed her to keep an eye on me. 'In shock
too' I thought then without warning I began to cry, huge sobs racking my
body. She lay for a moment then got up, left the kennel and the deck to
crawl underneath it as she did when she was in trouble.

So she knew she had done something wrong and her activity - or lack of it -
for the rest of the day bore out that knowledge and, I think, a growing
realisation that she has put us all in an impossible position. For how is
she ever going to regain our trust and Ruby's friendship?

I visited Ruby at 5pm; she lay in a warm cage covered with a thick towel,
the drip attached to one paw. I stood for five minutes or so with both
hands under the towel pressing lightly on her body, giving her reiki and
resonance healing and channelling love energy to her. In all that time the
only movements she made were a few eyelid twitches and one or two ear
flicks. I remembered John's words that morning; 'Very depressed, very
quiet.' Yes, all of that still and in shock as well - it would take a lot
more than a stabilising drip to pull her out of it.

I talked to the Great Spirit and my Spirit Guides and we began the distant
treatment as I drove home - it's still going 5 hours later. I felt her hit
the low point about 8pm, she's been climbing ever since. It's a steep
grade - for a small dog and her erstwhile big dog companion, us too I
suppose but, like John the Vet, I feel Ruby's going to make it.

%%%%%%%%%

	Help is always there when it is needed. We turned to the two healing 
channels (Woodcat and Bright Star) and to another mailing list I am a 
member of, one about biodynamic agriculture and dowsing and natural enegy 
stuff. And I went looking for a Dog Whisperer as well and found one in 
Sydney. It is now Friday morning and we - as a family - are all coming to 
terms with this event and the future. For the moment the dogs are separated 
- not easy in a three-bedroom house on a small block but still achievable - 
two of our three cats have assumed surveillance duties when both Matilda 
and Ruby are in the house at the same time. The terrier is recovering well, 
Matilda is still very confused, Robin and I are making headway.

	Animals are telepathic and in some circumstances humans are as well. We 
are animals too, of course. I was here when the Dog Whisperer (Simonne Lee) 
spoke distantly to Matilda and Ruby on Thursday morning. The energy I felt 
was incredible but then I might be biased because I work with this energy 
all the time and so are hypersensitive to it. Matilda's story was that Ruby 
trespassed on part of her territory which she had promised not to do whilst 
Ruby said this was true and she wouldn't do it again. This didn't really 
gel with what I had seen as I stood, half dressed, on the deck having heard 
Ruby's squeals a minute or so before. I remember screaming 'Matilda, it's 
Ruby, you mustn't DO that!' as I raced down the garden towards them. When I 
managed to get them apart, Ruby flopped on the ground like an abandoned 
teddy bear, and I dragged Matilda back to the deck 40 feet away to put her 
on her chain. When we reached the kennel she lay down with both forepaws 
apart and her head between them (as she does when she recognises me as pack 
leader) and whimpered. I turned around to find Ruby cowering by the sliding 
door closeby, picked her up and took her inside.

	At 5 o'clock this morning I took Simonne's advice and talked to Matilda in 
my mind. I used a technique I developed to communicate with devas, spirits 
and other spirit energies. This is what Matilda 'said' in return. "We were 
playing and one of my paws flipped her over. She got up and snapped at me 
and tried to push past by going underneath me even though she knows I don't 
like her doing that and has promised not to. I remember growling at her, 
she snarled at me and I lost my temper. When I go control back I was on the 
deck submitting to you and Ruby was nearby with blood on her throat. You 
took her inside and I didn't see you for what seemed a long time.  I know 
now what happened, that I hurt Ruby badly, and I understand why you were so 
angry with me.'

	I also talked to Woodstock our ginger tom who is very protective of his 
'pack', the two females, and has had run-ins with Matilda before and he has 
promised to help.

%%%%%%%%%%%

	As I said, hope for the future.

Roger

	This m