After Their Friend Dies of Cancer, Couple Takes in Her Special Needs Dog

Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/rescue-story-nak/

This story has been shared as part of the Fur Fam Story Contest. Submissions were accepted through December 5th. Voting will run from December 6th through December 31st. Three grand prize winners will receive a $500 prize, plus $2000 in cash and supplies for their favorite shelter. See all the stories here!

I lost one of the loves of my life on August 16, 2017. My precious Dachshund, Gretchin. I was beside myself, we all were. She would have been 14 in just three more months. We had lost her brother Otto in 2014 from a sudden heart attack at 11.5 years. We had two big rescue fur kids, but I missed the pitter patter of little paws. We needed an “itty bitty.”

nak1 - After Their Friend Dies of Cancer, Couple Takes in Her Special Needs Dog — PHOTO: LYNDA BARRON

The same day my rescue friend, Tam, agreed to take just one more. There was always room for one more at Tammy’s. My friend rescued and found homes for more than 300 doggies in her three years of doing rescue work. This one was Little Nahki, as Tam named her, and she was a feisty little girl! She had been dropped at an abandoned school almost on the Louisiana border, and it took the shelter lady three days to catch her.

When I saw her photo, I fell in love. I knew in my heart she was mine, but my husband said no, we had enough. He was worried about vet costs for three and being able to afford all the things you want to give them. So I resigned myself to watching Nak grow up on Facebook. And so I did for a year. Then in August 2018, we learned Tam had pancreatic cancer. We couldn’t believe it, we were shocked and devastated.

I saw her and Nak for the last time at Thanksgiving. I wanted so badly to say, “Let me take her,” but I just couldn’t. Tam was so ill, how could I? And I was sure the family would keep her. Tam loved her so much and felt she wasn’t adoptable. I felt helpless, I knew I was losing both Tam and Nak. Tam always knew the answers to doggy questions, she was always there for so many of us. But the day after Christmas, Tam left this world.

nak3 - After Their Friend Dies of Cancer, Couple Takes in Her Special Needs Dog — PHOTO: LYNDA BARRON

In February, I called again to see how things were and the family was looking for a home for Nak and the other dogs. I said I would help them place them and I’ll be right up to get Nak! I had lost my mother that same week and my husband said, “Go, go and get Nak.” Since then, every night, I sing her the “Tammy’s In Love” song. I rock her when she can’t sleep, and help her eat, walk and balance.

Nak has cerebellar hypoplasia and other genetic problems. But she can run like the wind! Her daddy never picks her up without kissing her. He fell in love, too. Her big Bubby and Sissy love her and play gently with her. She thinks she is their size of 70 pounds! When she doesn’t like something, Nak lets you know with her Latin temper!

“Wittle Nak” has a Facebook page, and a boyfuriend named Scooby, a Chihuahua who lives in LA! She asked him to be her Valentine two years ago and their romance is going strong. She has many cute outfits and is a “black belt” in fur karate! Not a day goes by that I don’t think of Tam. I know she is smiling from heaven, to see how we’ve done because no one could know her better or love Nak more than we do.