A skittish, malnourished basset looked at us with shifty eyes as we scoped the 40 odd bassets that were running free at the rescue home. Clearly abused and part of a puppy-mill, her udders swept the ground as she walked.
There was something very special about her. She weighed only 27 pounds and we adopted her and brought her home. Meet Bella, a basset with attitude! The initial adjustment was a difficult one. She snapped at everyone — abused does that to dogs — but she was ours to keep.
A year later she ate her way to a svelte 58 pounds. Hence the name, Bella Balloon. The vet often laughed at her — and she hated him with a passion. The neighborhood children called her a cow, because of her coloring, and she settled into our home, making it her own.
“FATS,” as I affectionately called her, was a wonderful member of our family for eight years before she passed away this past week. She gave us joy, and a lot of laughs. She was demanding, a lot of work, the world’s best canine vacuum, and she slept with total abandon. Her droopy, sad eyes were endearing and tugged at the heartstrings.
Bella is now gone, leaving a void in our home… and our lives. The house feels empty without her. I talk a tough game about how much I hate these dogs, but the truth is that I can’t imagine my life without them. My wife has made me a dog lover.
These fur babies teach us a lot about loyalty and about ourselves.
The truth? Our house will never be a home without a basset. RIP Bella. We love you!
About Hemant Rustogi