The Gift

A Shelter Dog Gives a Special Gift

By Cyndi Burns

The GiftRemarkable things can happen in some of the most unpredictable places. One may call it fate, destiny or just beating the odds, but some incidents just can’t be explained. So is the case of Timber, a discarded young puppy looking for a loving home and second chance.

In September of 2007, Timber, a Husky- Lab mix puppy, was found by HRM Animal Services. At the tender age of about eight months old, this severely emaciated pup was rescued from a desolate wooded area where his owner had left him to starve to death. No one knows for sure how long he had been there, but the telltale signs of malnutrition and abandonment were very evident. Hungry and alone, this little cast-away was rescued and turned over to the SPCA shelter in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, where Timber’s destiny would unfold in a very special way. 

Timber seemed like every other dog in the shelter, but his story had just begun. About a month after Timber’s rescue, John and Brenda from Sackville, Nova Scotia, arrived at the shelter looking to find a furry addition to their family. They adopted Timber. Within three months Timber had gained ten pounds and the bulging ribs of starvation slowly disappeared. Timber began to show a keen interest in chewing and barking as a way to express himself. Gaining the trust of his  new family, Timber’s barking soon subsided as he learned to adjust to his new home. Life had turned around for this little cast-away. Timber appeared to be like any other ordinary shelter-dog rescued from a bad situation. However, a few months later John and Brenda realized this little guy was not an ordinary dog - not by a long shot.

In the Winter of 2007, while John was working in his studio, Timber came to keep him company. Timber started acting strangely, nudging John, not leaving him alone. John was baffled by Timber’s actions and couldn’t figure out what he wanted. This was odd behavior even for Timber.

On occasion, John experiences non-convulsive, “absence” seizures, and he was starting to feel the strangeness that is the precursor to these seizures. This is when John first started to notice Timber’s amazing ability. As John started up the stairs, Timber went ahead of him, turning frequently to check that John was following him. Feeling weak, John made it to the couch and then went unconscious. According to John, Timber never left his side during his episode, and he was sitting right next to him when he regained consciousness. John began to think there was more to Timber than he first thought. But how could it be? This dog was not chosen for this purpose. He had no training. He was a rescue they got from the shelter! What were the odds of this happening? Thinking it was an isolated incident, John put it out of his mind.  A  few weeks later, while John was working on his computer, Timber alerted him again. This time John knew what Timber was trying to tell him. He was warning him that another attack was about to occur - and again, Timber was right!

According to a Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides report, some dogs do learn to detect seizures before they occur, but it is not known how or why some dogs seem to have this ability. It is not actually known if the dogs react to a chemical or physical change in the person before an episode. Timber seems to have come by his talent naturally and gives John a two or three minute warning before an attack occurs, allowing John time to make it to a comfortable spot.

When John reflects on Timber’s amazing service to him, he says with a smile, “I’ve since learned to listen to Timber when he’s talking to me because he usually has something important to say. He’s turned out to be a very valuable member of this family.”  John speaks with pride when he says, “He’s my monitor, and he’s never wrong.”

It’s not for sure if Fate chose Timber for John, or John for Timber. What Brenda and John do know is that Timber is a gift to their family. They were so delighted with their experience with Timber that in July of 2008, they adopted a second furry addition to their family, Katie. She immediately bonded with Timber. John and Brenda extend a heartfelt  “Thank you” to the local SPCA for Timber and Katie, adding, that for anyone wanting to adopt a new pet, please know these rescued animals are not discards. These animals are phenomenal, giving, loving companions, desperately in need of love, and a second chance.

Were the odds astronomical where Timber is concerned? Absolutely! What were the chances that Timber, a young puppy, would survive alone in the September woods, conquer hunger, and then be rescued? What brought a complete stranger to the shelter that particular day? How did two lives, so completely apart from each other, defy the odds so wonderfully? Timber’s natural ability to sense John’s seizures is nothing short of a miracle. Timber, once an abandoned puppy, now shares a wonderful gift with his new family, a gift no one was aware existed the day they met at the shelter. The Fates worked hard to bring Timber and this family together, and Timber is making the most of his second chance. He now shares his help unconditionally with those who chose to help him when he needed help the most.

Pet Country Magazine extends a special “Thank You” to Kat Horne from the SPCA in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, for providing the information to make Timber’s story possible. For more information on the SPCA please visit www.spcans.ca

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