Hi Marcy - It's been a year now, and you've probably been wondering what ever happened to beautiful Annie. Well, let me tell you the story in as few words as possible. After her adoption, she was re-named Bandy and all was going well here on the ranch with our other shepherd Tabu. She was a great addition to his life after he lost his sister and companion of 10 years. Bandy spent much of her time following him around the yard and bringing him out of his depression. Their first growls and ferocious barks soon turned to playful yips. Our old man Tabu even taught her how to hunt for lizards. They would sit motionless together on our bank of purple flowers waiting to spring into action at the slightest sound.
Then suddenly, our little world changed. It had only been a week, but it was now late October of 2007 and a ferocious fire storm was heading our way. We hastily packed up what we could that night and made our way of the mountain as the blaze blew in. We hardly knew her and yet she went right along with us, showing her immediate trust. Stuffed in our van and driving through thick smoke and 30 foot flames, she became an immediate companion amidst all the turmoil of leaving too late. Once out of danger, we held up at a loft in downtown San Diego on the 8th floor. Using the building's elevator and late night potty walks in a unfamiliar city were all very strange for her. But she took the challenge in stride and brought a much needed laughter to the rest of the family. Three days later, we returned home to see our home still standing, but many of our neighbors had lost everything. With no one to fight the fires in our area, we did our futile best to spray what was left in the garden hoses on those structures still burning.We were now forced to live in a motor home for a couple of weeks as we cleaned our house from the fire's debris and smoke. Bandy's yard was now burned along with all the flowers and lizards. It was so sad to witness this loss and the only comfort we had was the realization we were all together as a family. Bandy found true comfort with Tabu many nights as they nuzzled on the floor of the rented Rv. We all made the best of it and I can say now, she is our champion! She loves us as much as we love her. She sneaks in our bed most mornings now and loves to go camping in the mountains. Looking back, we were very happy to have had her through this struggle. Now that we are beyond the pain and destruction, we have a mutual bond that will last us a lifetime I'm sure. We thank you for doing what you do and rescuing these amazing animals. There's nothing better than the German Shepherd breed. Keep up the great work. :-)
All the best,Larry and Dee
Larry Evans