OkcPets Magazine January 2023

January / February 2023 • OKC Pets 21 by Nancy Gallimore The moment I met her I knew she was special. Or maybe it’s that I could feel how special she was. It’s not that she gave me an enthusi- astic greeting. In fact, she really didn’t even raise her head. She was depressed, exhausted and, well, I can only tell you that I felt she was heartbroken. It’s not something I can explain easily, but feelings of defeat were rolling off this sweet dog.  I felt how tired she was. I felt her aches and pains. I felt her sense of uncertainty that was also betrayed by the wrinkle of her brow and her furtive glances. Something in those soft brown eyes spoke to a place deep in my heart. And I felt a little flicker of something — I think it was longing. This good soul dreamed of simple things like comfort and safety. She didn’t dare envision anything more. She was rescued on a steamy summer day by some very caring employees at the local botanical garden. She made her way to them and then collapsed in the dirt, robbed of the energy to take even one more step. They saw to her immedi- ate needs by giving her water, and then a bowl of food. They applied drops to her shoulders to rid her of the hundreds of ticks that were draining her body. They gave her the first relief she had likely known in months. They messaged me through our non-profit Dalmatian rescue for the long-term care they knew she needed. I looked at the photos coming across my phone of a dog that appeared complete-