Buster was a very special dog to me. He was the first dog i had ever had. & his story is something i love telling people.
I wasnt born when Buster came into our family. He was born in 1992. We adopted him on October 12, 1997. He was
A couple days after bringing home the addition, he was hit by a car. His back legs were in bad shape, but my grandfather payed lots of money to due surgrey to save his legs. So from then, he walked around sorta with a limp, one leg was all scared up, the other was "sewed" back on. He was special, because he made love animals. He was my world, only being so young at the time. As i got older, i still appreciated that dog. But at the same, i started to be maturer, & hang with friends, & not really worry about him as much. As time past, Busters nicknames, "Bionic dog, the dog with 9 lives.." came true. I had started calling him "My floppy eared camel" due to the fact that he was indeed fat, but also had some sorta.. fat lumps on him.
Time went by when he developed a cataract in his eye, causing his eye to swell almost out, & loose his vision. Seeing how the eye was useless to Buster, the vets removed it. There I changed his name to "One Eyed Floppy Eared Camel." I do remember one event that i have not forgotten. At this time, i was young, and could barely remember how all this happened.
One night, i believe on my grandmothers birthday (since my mom & grandparents were at a party for her) i was watching my little brother with my step sister (at the time) Emily. We were trying to put Hayden to bed, when we heard a car screaching. Me & Emily decided out of curiousity to go check it out. We walked outside to see one of my neighbors, & the people who drove the car standing over an animal. As i crossed the street, i gasped as i realized it was the outline of Buster. I burst into tears & shouted "Its Buster!" Everyone looked up at us, even Buster. I ran over & got down on my knees. They tried to explain to me what was wrong with him, but i didnt really pay attention. Emily had called my mom & told her what happened. She was also staying inside the house with Hayden. I stayed with Buster. At one point through the night Buster had tried to walk. It killed me when he tried to stand & yelped in pain & fell over, only then did i realize that not only did the car had hit him, but it had ran over his tail & completely teared the skin & fur from his bone. It scared me. My mom finally made it, which seemed like forever, & ran over to us. She fell on her knees over Buster & was just crying. They rushed Buster to the vets, & i had to deal with the thought of that for the night.
Buster made it out fine. Infact, he came out like it was nothing. He was walking, begging for food, & sleeping. Just like the old Buster. Only difference was that when he was happy, he wagged a flab of skin stitched to where his tail should be, instead of his bushy big tail. & there he was finally known as my "Little Stumpy Tailed One Eyed Floppy Eared Camel". Telling Busters story to people made them smile & they couldnt help laugh but see him.
In December of 2009, our other dog, Tobey was put to sleep. When he had died, i had lots of trouble getting over it. But when i was able to get through days, i started to pay more & more attention to Buster & Jazz.
Around Febuary was when we all realized Buster had lost alotta weight. He was no longer that sausage with beagle legs, but.. skinny. I could pick him & feel his ribs, something i never was able to do. Even though he ate, he lost weight. Another thing we noticed is that if he fell or was knocked over, he couldnt get back up unless we helped him up. In March, the signs got worse. He had gotten to the point where he could no longer walk. He would go to the bathroom where he sat. & he was suffering. I was only hoping Buster would get over thise phase, just like every other thing he came over. My dream had came true in a way.
On April 7th, 2010, i was in the kitchen getting ready for the school. I had heard my mom crying, & my step dad at the time were talking in the bathroom. My mom was crying & saying something i dont really remember, but i knew they were talking about Buster. Tim walked in the kitchen & told me & my brother to go see my mom. My mom told me that she was going to take Buster to the vet, & she wasnt sure he was gonna come back. My day at school wasnt fun. When i got home, I realized Buster was gone.
Losing Buster was a lost.. to everyone really. Everyone loved him. Everyone knew him. My great grandmother cried. My grandmother told me that when my mom had called her to tell her the news, there was a baby beagle that walked by & that that was Buster saying goodbye to her because she wasnt able too.
Having spent literally everyday with that dog, and to realize that that would no longer happen really affected me. His memory, & story will live in my heart.
We miss you Buster Brown! We love you!
