Crested Guardians is a non-profit 501(c)(3) foundation comprised of a group of volunteers devoted to protecting and helping the Chinese Crested dog in need.
Memorial Page
Crested Guardians, Inc. accepts memorial donations in honor of a deceased dog or person who was special to you. For a donation of $25 or more, you will be provided space here on the Memorial Page for a small picture (optional) and a brief tribute. If you would like to pay a special tribute to your loved, be it person or dog, rescue or otherwise, please contact Sarah to make arrangements. A memorial notification card can also be sent on your behalf as directed.
Emma
My little duckling I called her.
19 lbs of suntanned happiness!
June 4th, the day Emma arrived at my house, I said to the lady who brought her, this little girl will be staying here.
Something inside me knew she wouldn't be getting adopted. Her scruffy face made her look like a drunk little old man.
A little history on Emma, originally named Chemo.
She was adopted by a lady who had cancer and wanted a dog that had no hair like her.
Unfortunately she didn't survive her cancer and Emma ended up living with the lady's husband until he himself passed away from cancer. That's when the adult children of the old couple decided they didn't want Emma and planned to have her euthanized.
Fortunately a caring grand daughter of that same old couple stole Emma from the house and placed her at a shelter where she was taken into rescue and then eventually delivered to me and Crested Guardians.
Emma immediately took to me, following me from room to room. I guess my grumpy exterior didn't fool her one bit.
The very first thing I did was change her name, groom her, bathe her and took her for a walk so she could meet all the shop keepers in town.
Emma never met a stranger and although many weren't quite sure WHAT she was, they all left her knowing she was awesome!
She learned real fast that in this house there weren't any alpha dogs and she promptly placed herself near the top of the pecking order. Sleeping closest to the big furry dogs and always the Mom to any pups that may have wandered through as fosters.
The 6th of July, Emma suffered a siezure, most likely caused by a blood clot. This made her heart stop and I had to perform cpr on her. She came back, but was a little off from it all. Off to the vet we went and soon she was being seen by a cardiologist.
One order of enlarged heart, degenerative valve disease and high blood pressure later, we knew Emmas time was limited.
This of course was due to the obviouse fact that Emma was Morbidly Obese and over 10 yrs old and now we also knew she had a bad ticker. Aspirin for blood thinning and a new diet which she hated, days went by and she seemed to be the same old Emma.
August 23rd, I was sitting right her at my desk when she had her siezure. It was just a little one, but enough for me to notice.
I scooped her into my arms and sat with her for almost two hours. Her breathing had gotten shallow and she wasn't responding well. I walked my other fosters, put them up for the night and settled in with Emma on the floor. She in her bed and me next to her with a pillow and a blanket. I sang to her, I told her stories of all the doggies who had gone before her to Rainbows Bridge.
I told her how her parents that had passed away would be there waiting for her, and even though they had named her Chemo, she'd always be my Lady Emma.
The morning of the 24th I left while my house guests were still asleep and took Emma to the vet.
I was the first one through the door and told them Emma had made a turn for the worst.
They immediately sent notice to the back for my vet. I sat in the waiting room as it quickly filled with anxious pet owners bringing their own babies in for spay/neuters and all day procedures.
I tried not to make eye contact with anyone because I didn't want to have to explain that Emma was dying.
I sat there staring into space humming to her and running my fingers through her hair.
That's when the faint rattle that had been Emma breathing, stopped.
I buried my face hard into her blanket and wept.
I wept for all the dogs I've lost and I wept in anger and I wept openly.
Emma had touched my heart and she had healed my heart and now she was breaking it all over again.
That's the nature of rescue.
Many of the other clients had already figured out why I was there and when they realized the Emma had died in my arms, there wasn't a dry eye in the rooom.
I composed myself, went to the receptionist and told her Emma didn't make it.
Stumbling through the parking lot I fell into the jeep and once again into weeping mode.
Had I done all I could do? Would Emma have been better with someone different?
Did she have to die? All these questions and many more flooded my brain and made me cry even more.
I hugged her as hard to my chest as I could and willed her to live again, but I knew as much as I wanted her back, she was in a better place. Some of the staff came outside to check on me. They were horrified that I had to suffer this way.
It had been less than 4 weeks since I lost my Moses at this same hospital.
I thanked them all and headed home.
Emma is buried up the back hill with our other babies.
I'll get her name engraved on her stone and I'll always make sure she has flowers.
The Lady Emma has gone to be with her family forever.
Scooter
"You changed our lives forever and you will always live in our hearts. Love, Mommy & Daddy".
My LuLu Girl
I met Lulu Girl n 1997 on the upper west side of Manhattan. At 10 months old she was the outcast, no longer wanted, disposable. The owner and the breeder came to an agreement. The breeder agreed that Lulu was bigger and hairier than described when sold as a puppy. The owner wanted another dog or a refund and someone to take the dog off her hands. I saw Lulu with her bad haircut, her big almost human eyes, her pitiful shivering and fell in love. I was in that home less than ten minutes and came away with my beautiful LuLu Girl. I walked with her in my arms straight to Grand Central where we boarded the train and she crawled into my lap, curled like a caterpillar, hiding her eyes and shivering. I promised her I would give her the best home. We became inseparable. With time and patience Lulu grew from the scared shivering frightened ball that piddled on the floor when approached into a strong alpha female with the best licky girl kisses. I miss her very much and only take comfort in knowing that we will meet again.
Dante
In memory of Dante, forever in our hearts...
Hope
Hope was a very special little girl who was rescued by Crested Guardians. She was extremely sick when she was dumped in the New York City pound. She was having a hard time breathing, could not eat and was clearly in pain. She was most likely at least 13-14 years old, but despite all of that we wanted her. Crested Guardians wanted this girl to live out her final months or hopefully years in our care. Our volunteers took her immediately to an emergency vet to try to get her stabilized so we could begin to make her feel better and enjoy the life she so deserved. However, after only being in Crested Guardians' care for a short while, she took a turn for the worse and the diagnosis of advanced lung disease (among other problems) was grave. Her little body just could not fight all that was stacked against her and she was in pain. One of our loving volunteers went to Hope and brought her some home cooked food so she could at least taste the food she deserved to have. And she brought her a new pink shirt so she could have the nice girly clothes a hairless princess deserves. She was held closely and spoken to lovingly, hearing all the kind words she should have been hearing her whole life. She also heard "I'm Sorry." Sorry she didn't get to be with our group longer. Sorry that the last days of her life were so bad. She passed in the loving arms of a CG member on 9/17/2009. Hopefully, feeling the love she so deserved.
Unfortunately our dreams of Hope eating home cooked food, being clean and happy, wearing warm jammies, sleeping in a King sized bed under the covers, and being carried around in a baby carrier by her foster mom never came true. We were able to give Hope one small thing and it was the gift of not dying alone in the pound only to be found dead in her cage by a kennel worker and for that we are grateful; however it still wasn't enough for this girl who deserved so much more. Her ashes sit on a member's mantle as a reminder of this beautiful little old lady who deserved SO much more....
Thank you all so much for your kind thoughts and support for her recovery.
Hope touched a lot of hearts in the short while we knew her.
Bronson Zindle
In memory of Bronson Zindle (June 26th, 2002- September 09, 2009)
We got you when you were 4 months old and you were always our “little man”. We never got tired of your antics and you made us laugh every day. In 2006, when we brought Lily home, you welcomed her as if you knew all her heartache and suffering she had endured. The day you left, you took a piece of our heart with you. We think of you every day and miss you terribly.
Zoey
In memory of Zoey “Itl Bit”
1995 – 2007
Thank you for being a good teacher of living life largely.
In memory of Sabrina "the old goat"
3/17/92-1/23/08
Even though we only had a short time together, I loved you like you had been mine forever.
I learned a lot from you. Most importantly, even if you are an old grouch, if you do it with enough charm, everyone will still love you. Thank you for sending Murphy to me. And thank you for your visits. It is always nice to know you are near.
Nakita
Nakita Pasquale
May 10, 1997 - February 10, 2009
My little precious Nakita. Your family dumped you, your sister and your dad in a shelter for nobody to love. When you and your sister Tia came to me, you didn't understand that I was there to nurture you, fix you, show you love so that someone would want you. But it became clear, that you were already home with me and my family. I miss so much your funny little antics, your rough little bark, your little tongue, the way you would spin around and bark when I called your name. I miss calling your name. I miss loving you. I remember so warmly the way you would push open the gate so you could rub your back up and down the couch, practically doing a head stand, you made us laugh so hard sometimes. You were a character; so funny, so cute and touched everyone's heart. You were with me all the time, you loved to be carried in the Snuggli, you slept by my chest and in the crook of my arm. Everyone knew you because you had such an impact on them. I was so fortunate to have you with me at work all day and to spend literally 24 hours a day with you. I still listen for your feet to jump off your bed when I take out a bowl; I still wait to feel you scratch my leg because you want to be held. I still look for you. You were such a tough little girl with more illness than anyone should have to handle but you always pulled through, you had an angel on your shoulder. God saw you growing tired, He did what He thought was best. You died in my arms, in the middle of the night, even though I was trying so hard to save you, to keep you with me. It broke our hearts to lose you but you didn't go alone, you took a huge part of us the day God called you home. Our hearts will ache until we meet again. I love you.. I will always miss you and I will never forget you. My little precious Nakita.
