My friend Kathryn received Shabriz, a little Lahsa Apso, to be her companion. Shabriz was a handful, to say the least. With Kathryn gone most of the day for work, the dog wanted her whole attention when she arrived home. For a little dog, Shabriz had a lot of presence and strength. He pulled Kathryn around until one day, she fell and hurt her leg.

Each time her leg was beginning to get better, she would strain it when the little dog pulled too hard on the lead. When Kathryn could no longer walk him because of her injury, we discussed giving Shabriz to a home where he might be better suited.

My friends, John and Marianne, had a farm that was about an hour away from downtown Toronto. I suggested that they would make excellent candidates as adoptive parents for Shabriz. They already had several dogs, cats, goats, chickens, and some horses, but I knew they showered all their animals with love. Kathryn and I both felt good about this choice as a new home for Shabriz.

When Kathryn called the farm, John was in the hospital for surgery. Marianne wanted a new friend, and she thought that Shabriz would be the perfect fit. So we took Shabriz to become part of this family.

After John's recovery, whenever he was in the car, Shabriz would ride around on his lap and the dog liked to sleep in the family's bed. All of nine pounds, Shabriz ruled the roost and held his own among John and Marianne's other much larger dogs and huge horses. He was truly having the time of his life and had become a real farm dog.

Then one day, four years later, when Marianne and John went to the local farmer's market, Shabriz got away from them and could not be found. Marianne was frantic. She put up signs all around their rural farm area.

Soon a man called, explaining that he owned a pet store. Someone had found Shabriz and brought him there. When Marianne and John arrived to pick up Shabriz, they found him in the arms of a little ten-year-old girl. He was all bathed with a new fancy hair-do and a red bow on his head. Quite a change for a little farm dog who liked to roll in the dirt!

The storeowner took Marianne and John aside and told them that one year ago, this girl's mother had died. The girl had hardly spoken since that time. After finding Shabriz, she had fallen in love with the dog and had begun to speak and take interest in life again.

When Shabriz saw Marianne and John, he communicated to them that he wanted to stay with this little girl. He seemed to have no interest in leaving her. It was clear to Marianne and John that
Shabriz had chosen this little girl as his own.

Marianne cried over losing Shabriz, but John and Marianne realized that Shabriz was an angel who had come to bring healing to their lives. So they decided to let Shabriz go on to fulfill his next mission. They knew that now, their little dog had to go where he could give needed love and healing to a little girl's heart.

BIO:
Darlene Montgomery is an internationally respected authority on dreams, spiritual perspectives, and ideas. She is an author, facilitator, and clergywoman who speaks to groups and organizations on uplifting subjects. Her books CONSCIOUS WOMEN - CONSCIOUS LIVES, CONCIOUS WOMEN -- CONSCIOUS CAREERS, and CONSCIOUS WOMEN - CONSCIOUS MOTHERS are collections of inspiring true stories by women across North America writing about their profound experiences. Darlene's website is www.lifedreams.org.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:

Has an animal companion left your home to fulfill a special purpose in someone else's life? What animal dramas have you observed with pets or wildlife?

Note:
"Shabriz, The Healing Pup" was first published in the Angel Animals Story of the Week on June 28, 2008. Visit www.angelanimals.net for other inspirational angel animals stories.