CARA's Little Star

Handsome

Submitted by: Shelia Van Tine

Although Handsome was not at the Hobart Inn for long, he really touched our hearts.  He came to us from a NY shelter.  Over the past few months I have been visiting and walking any Cockers that came into our local SPCA.  I was called one day to come and see Careless, a 10 year old male buff cocker.  He had been a previous resident of the shelter and was adopted 2 years ago. His owner brought him back in to the SPCA because he said the dog had no personality.  I think he had a rough life, and as a result seemed older than his 10 years.  He had weakness in his hind legs making it hard to do steps or sometimes hard to move around.  And he was so skinny.  But, oh, such a sweet face.

I called Joan and asked if she could take him into rescue. He really needed to get out of the shelter and into a home.  She said yes right away.  I brought him home and Joan took him the next day.  While he was with me, I fell in love with him.  He would lay on the nice, comfortable dog bed and just look at me with those big, sad eyes. Walt said it was probably the most comfortable he ever was.  All he wanted was love and comfort.  Every time I talked to him I would call him Handsome, and so that became his name.

Once with Joan and her home cooking, his appetite picked up.  He was very comfortable there and finally got the love he should have always had.  I’m sure part of his happiness was due to the fact that he had found a girlfriend at the Hobart Inn.  Many times Joan would find Handsome and Bethany curled up next to each other on their dog beds.

Although we knew that Handsome had the start of kidney failure, we had no idea that there was something else brewing inside of him.  We lost Handsome on January 5, 2008.

Handsome’s time with Joan was way too short.  She loved him as did everyone who met him at a brunch at my house.  I loved him and although his time with me was very short, he will always hold a piece of my heart.  Handsome was a gentle, sweet old man.  Rest in Peace, sweet Handsome – gone but never forgotten.  You will forever be remembered with love. 
 

Sheila and Walt Van Tine