It's been a little over a week since my beloved Bulldog Zeus passed away.
He came into my life unexpected right before Thanksgiving; his then owner promised to pick him up a few weeks before X-Mas (but, even if he returned, I would sooner call animal welfare). That was 11 years ago...Zeus left my life, like Mary Poppins, just as unexpected... Ironically a few weeks before X-Mas. Zeus was 1.5 years old when I rescued him, covered in hot spots and mange... But, for the next 11 years he rescued me. I am forever grateful to this angel. He was my best friend and he was like a child to me. He was easy going, friendly and a giant mush... He wasn't complicated like my girls: he wanted to play, cuddle, eat, go for a walk... Anything, as long as he was near us...
When my first Bulldog Bonnie passed, Zeus was there to lick my tears away... He healed my heart... But sadly, his heart was broken too, he missed his friend terribly, so we got a puppy, he loved Bo from the moment we brought her home. Zeus and I had an agreement- she was his, I didn't need a second dog... But, obviously, I fell in love too, she was so sick, the poor thing- a product of greedy breeding, a rescue story all on her own... When she tragically died on a family trip at just 3.5 years old, Zeus was there to heal my heart once more. He licked every tear, he cuddled extra close... we spent as much time together as we could. When he started to show signs of a broken heart again, I had a feeling it was something else... This time, it was medical: Zeus was diagnosed with heart failure and a heart based mass in January 2016... For the next 11 months I spent as much time with him as I could... I knew our time was running out...
He and I, we always tried to take care of each other's hearts: He tried to heal mine and I tried to cure his... But in the end, he died of a giant heart and I'm left with an empty one.
Zeus was the kindest dog I have ever come across- I have never heard him growl, not for a toy, a bone or treat; he never showed any aggression towards the girls, another dog or child. I used to always say, he doesn't have a mean bone in his body. But, he had one mean tumor that killed him and his giant, kind, warm and amazing heart. Zeusikils, as I always called him, was a mush, and he will be missed by many, but especially by me... He was really a girl's best friend ❤️
If you could donate anything in his honor to a rescue that is near and dear to my heart, Long Island Bulldog Rescue, that would mean the world to me. They rescue, rehab, and re-home, Angels like Zeus every day... They spend thousands.... And this time of year, they can use all the help they can get. If you can't donate, I understand. Please share.
If you ever find yourself in need of being rescued, just hop over to their page and fill out a Foster or an Adoption application, a Bully can always use a couch to snore the day away on... Oh how I miss that snore
