Hilary, Elkhound Mix
Inauguration Day 1997 - June 27th, 2008

Hilary was taken in and loved by an elderly lady the day she strolled down a West Virginia country lane as a young stray.

The two were constant companions; whenever the woman ran errands or gardened about her farm, Hilary went with her, and, when she watched television, she stroked Hilary’s head without stopping.

Hilary’s idyllic world first ended when her life-long cat friend died in January.
Then her owner developed Alzheimer’s and was placed into a nursing home in March.
No one in the family could take Hilary, and she was placed outdoors to live underneath of the house she once called home.

Jim and I found Hilary, shortly after Oslo died.

One of the woman’s children listed her on Petfinder.com.
In her pictures, Hilary had a big, goofy grin on her face, obviously happy and healthy.
We took Hilary on a foster basis, in case her owner recovered and came home.
When we picked her up she was ill and injured, requiring emergency care before we even returned home.

We all suspected Hilary had more health problems waiting to surface, but she got better after a few weeks.
She enjoyed nothing more than cuddling and being petted.
Jim and I quickly gave our hearts to Hilary and she returned our affection twofold.

On a night of violent storms, Hilary had a long seizure.
On the way the emergency clinic, she had another.
We had hoped to bring her home and nurse her back to health again.
But by the next day, it was obvious that she was in a great deal of pain.
The vets felt she had a mass in her brain, but was too unstable to make the long trip for an MRI.
In order to prevent more seizures, she had to be on high levels of drugs, so much so that she was unable to stand on her own.

Jim and I made the painful decision to let her go.
Even her passing caused her discomfort.
Although we had only had her for a short time, we loved her.

But – now I KNOW there is a Rainbow Bridge. Hilary showed it to me.
That evening, when Crossing a brand new Bridge from one state to another, I looked through the bridge to the east and there was a beautiful rainbow that grew larger and more colorful as we passed.
The symbolism could not be missed.
Hilary was at peace, waiting at the Rainbow Bridge.

Blessings and thank you, big old gal. You are missed.

Lexiann and Jim