Sophie In My Heart

Mary, I worked in a restaurant when I was younger. Your father, Officer Volkerding often stopped in for coffee. He knew that I was an animal lover and we would often talk about the animals that he picked up off the streets. He told me that he had picked up a little dog that he thought had been mistreated and looked as if it had gotten hit by a car. He said when he stopped to help it he saw the dog was missing one of her hind legs, AND she was pregnant. He told me he took her home and she ended up having 4 puppies. He didn't know if anyone would ever take the mother dog because of her handicap. Me being such an animal lover I told him that that wouldn't bother me at all.

At that time I had to put my dog to sleep because of a heart problem. I remember how depressed I had gotten. My little dog meant the world to me. My children wanted me to get another dog. I told them that I wasn't ready for another dog, and didn't know if I ever would be. I remember how I grieved for that dog. Months went by and my children could see how much I was hurting. They came to me and told me that I had a chance to give a handicap animal a chance to live again. They didn't think I was listening, but I was. A few days had passed and I kept thinking about that little three legged dog and what my children had said to me. I came out of my room one Saturday morning and told the children to get in the car. I didn't tell them where we were going. After a long car ride we pulled up at this house that we had never been to before. I told them to come with me that we were there to get a new dog. That day they met Captain Volkerding. I remember how happy he was to see me. He put my two kids in a wheelbarrow and gave them a ride to look at that little three legged dog that we all had thought about so often. He told me that he knew that one day I would be ready to give that one special dog a new life. They never forget that dog pen. It was the biggest dog pen that they had ever seen. They loved all the doghouses that Captain Volkerding built for the dogs. When I looked into that pen and saw that little three legged dog I couldn't turn away from her. I knew I was the one that could give it a loving home. I told him that she needed me as much as I needed her. Your Father had already found homes for the puppies. I wanted that beautiful little mother. The mother dog was a beagle/ basset hound. We bonded immediately. I felt that empty place where her leg used to be, and I knew then she could fill that empty place in my heart where my little dog use to be. Mary your father had a knack for matching up his dogs with just the right people. I named her Sophie.

That's not where my story ends. I was given a basset hound by a couple who were moving out of state and couldn't take him with them. As my children said "they got married". Sophie gave birth to three little puppies. We kept one and found wonderful homes for the other two. We called our new addition Daisy.

Through the years as we started losing our beloved pets, we would buy another basset. We would let them "get married" and would always keep one. The picture I am putting with this article is Daffey and Domowee. I know! They are decedents of my sweet little three legged Sophie. They are my daughters dogs now. My daughter still lives in Cape. She sent me the article about the story that Mary wrote about her father, and her little dog Mitzy, and it brought back the memory of my dog that I got from Officer Volkerding. My health is not good now so I placed them into my daughters loving arms. She has already promised to let many more "marriages" take place. So I can tell Captain Volkerding thank you for so many years of happiness that he gave me that day when he first showed me that little three legged dog.

May God Bless You Mary and Raine . Mary your father was a special man. Because of him, I found a lifetime of love from such a small little girl with only three legs, but a giant heart.

Our family would like to thank you for the laughs and smiles that all our dogs have brought to our lives over the years. Thank you Officer Volkerding, you will never be forgotten!

This is my prayer for you and your friend Raine as you begin your journey with your store "For Wags and Whisker's".

Dear Lord, Their desire is to have their own business.

You are their strongest ally, and their best partner.

Please join them in their new venture so that they may succeed

For their self, their family, and their loyal customers.

Grant them your powers of good judgment,

Your wisdom and guidance,

So that their business may prosper and do right.

In Your Heavenly name we pray. Amen.