My name is Héro La Lumiére, and I always feel grateful for the way my life turned out, but especially around Thanksgiving.
Things didn’t start out so well for me. My first owner made and sold a drug called methamphetamine, and he tried to starve me into being mean enough to guard his meth lab. When the fool went to prison, a man who knew him rescued me but couldn’t afford to feed me. So his girlfriend put an ad on Craigslist to find me a home, and that’s when Kari Ann Owen adopted me.
The drug dealer had made me really sick. I was twenty pounds underweight and had eye and ear infections. Kari Ann took me to veterinarians (that’s what she calls animal doctors) and to a world-renowned hospital. Two surgeries and lots of medication cured me. Then Kari Ann trained me to be a service dog, which means I can help her walk up steps without losing her balance. Kari Ann also can lean on me when her leg hurts. I am now proud to be an official State of California service dog!
Kari Ann has recurrent sciatica, a nerve injury radiating through her legs from her lower back. This injury once had her in a wheelchair, and it still requires physical therapy. I am always careful never to knock Kari Ann over, since the pain from sciatica can still be intense. Of course, I love going to physical therapy with Kari Ann and lying down on the cool floor! Everyone pets me and then I fall asleep. But I love taking walks even more, so I always help Kari Ann stay upright.
My name, Héro La Lumiére, means “champion of light.” I can see the light really well now that I’m healthy and happy. I love to run and play with my kitty friend, Squeak, and my canine friends. Kari Ann and I even dance together (“the doggie bump”), even though I am bigger than her and have to be careful not to knock her down. I also go with Kari Ann to the library, where she teaches kids to read and do math. I read as much as Clifford!
I know that Kari Ann loves me very much, and I love her. I love most people, actually, because they are caring and smart and can do many wonderful things. I have learned that my first owner was a sad, mixed-up sort of human, but that most humans are kind to dogs and other animals. Now I know that the true nature of both dogs and people is to love, not hate.
I hope your life story has a happy ending, too. Have a great Thanksgiving!
Kari Ann Owen and Héro La Lumière are available for school and community presentations on how domestic violence and drug abuse affect pets as well as people. Please contact them at penomee@yahoo.com.
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