Buddy was a lost soul that I found on July 20, 2003 laying in a ditch on the side of the road. At first I thought he had been hit by a car and was wounded or dead. As I approached him he jumped up, tail wagging, and came right up to me and licked my hand. He acted like he had known me his whole life. He was a terrible sight, covered in fleas & ticks and half of his hair was missing and he was covered in hot spots from biting at his skin. I could tell immediately that he was a purebred Collie and he reminded me of Lassie. I decided to take him to the vet to have him checked out and see if I could locate his owner. Surely no one could have thrown out this wonderful dog? After a couple weeks of searching the papers, calling the area animal hospitals and shelter I decided that the previous owner must not be looking for him and kept him. It did not take Buddy long to become part of our family. He enjoyed walks at the farm and the park and chasing squirrels up the trees. He also enjoyed riding in the car and spending his evenings hanging out with us watching TV. He was the first pet that my son had and Buddy had more patience with him than I would have ever expected. Buddy was a gentle soul and very affectionate and loyal. He knew how beautiful he was especially after his monthly bath and would strut around with his tail fluffed and show off his new bandanna. A couple of weeks after I found him he helped me dig out a baby goat that had become stuck under a barn. As I knelt down and started to dig he watched me for a minute and then joined in with me until we got the crying baby out. The vet told me that Buddy was very lucky to find us but I feel that we were the lucky ones to have found him.

Sadly, in March 2007 Buddy was diagnosed with either a brain tumor or cancer and on June 23, 2007 he peacefully passed away with his family by his side. Buddy was estimated to be approximately 11-12 years old at the time of his death. Buddy has made a lasting impression on someone who never thought they would enjoy having a dog and was always considered a cat person. We miss him every day and he will forever be in our hearts. I take comfort in knowing that he is no longer suffering and is able to chase squirrels again.

Brian, Debbie, Logan Whitfield & SuzyQ his feline companion