Texas

Text Box: When people first meet Texas they are stunned by his china blue eyes. With his soft sable merle coat and perfect conformation, Tex would be considered beautiful by any standard; add in those Paul Newman eyes and you have one of the most elegant creatures you can imagine. Hard to believe that this exquisite collie once was only hours away from being euthanized. We first learned of him over the internet: an unneutered male collie, full of heartworm and unwanted, was on Death Row at a pound in Texas. There seemed to be no way to help him, as no-one knew of any collie rescue groups in that area. Could Collie Rescue of Mississippi help? Thanks to our angels, we haven’t yet had to turn down a rescue. But transportation was looking like an insurmountable challenge. How could we rescue this dog and get him to Mississippi in time? Well, if you believe in angels then you have to believe in miracles, and that is just what happened for Tex. As if by magic, transportation materialized. I traveled to Baton Rouge, LA, and in the hands of a loving stranger Tex was delivered to me there. When I first met Tex I had to wonder why anyone would let such a beautiful collie go. The mystery only deepened on the ride home, as Tex, exhibiting the typical collie gentleness and trust, wormed his way forward between the seats to nestle his head in my lap. He rode all the way home to Mississippi with his head gently cradled in my arms. Someone, somewhere must surely have loved and wanted this perfect collie gentleman! I resolved that, whatever might have happened to part him from his original protectors, he would never go uncared for again. Tex’s ordeal wasn’t yet over, however. When we got home we gave him a first check-over for obvious problems, and we found a deep wound, hidden by the dense coat on his underside. Long-untended, it was showing signs of gangrene. It is a tribute to the gentle intelligence of this breed that Tex allowed first us and then the vet to perform the extensive procedures needed to heal him, even though we were still strangers to him. He also needed treatment for severe heartworms, and a long recovery followed. Two years later, Tex still politely asks to put his head in my lap for comfort and contact. His thick shining coat belies his earlier neglect; his clear blue eyes greet the world with a smile. Thanks to angels and miracles, Tex reigns as the handsome heart-throb of the Meadowview Collies.