Trinity – the three legged dog

Infected leg

Don’t ask me what my name was, or if I had an owner who one time cared for me.  I don’t remember, maybe because I don’t want to remember.

What I do know, though, is I was hit by a car.  I had a broken leg, and I wandered around Maya Beach, starving.  My tank was running on empty.

But someone saw me, and in that moment, my life changed completely and forever.  I survive today because that one person cared enough about me to alert others to my situation.

This kind person phoned Pat VanDuerzen, begging: please could Dr. Floyd Bennett help me when he came to Placencia during his next vet visit?

Pat VanDuerzen phoned PHS board member Judy Roberts, asking for help in catching me.

Well, I was a little cautious, and kept a real low profile.  Even Sam Roberts, Judy’s husband hunted high and low for me, but he could not find me.  I missed Dr. Bennett’s clinic.

Starving and desperate, meandering for two weeks, I finally showed up at Kenny Garrett’s workshop in Maya Beach.

What a kind man!  He called Judy Roberts, who brought food, dewormed me and dropped meds in my eyes. I was very lucky that my broken leg was not infected, and I was not in pain.

I overheard Judy telling Kenny: “What a very gentle dog.  She is not at all aggressive, and her eyes talk to us, Kenny.  Her eyes are shouting out at us: HELP ME!”

And they named me “Princess!”

How lucky that Dr. Cliff Barnett from Florida had a vet clinic in Cow Pen Village that weekend. Kenny drove me over there and my leg was amputated.

Kenny was soon to leave for the U.S., so a foster or adoptive home was immediately needed.

In December 2016 Candace Feldman posted my situation all over Facebook, and once again, I got so very lucky.

Trinity and Mandy

Mandy and Shawn Marshall took me in!

Mandy speaks: “Princess is the sweetest dog ever, she taught me how animals need dignity as well.  When she first arrived, she couldn’t even squat without falling into her own mess and was so shy about me cleaning her. She would lean against me when we walked as if I was her missing leg and climbing stairs was the best therapy for her. Madge (our PHS rescued dog) and I would sit one or two steps ahead of her and encourage her until we made it to the top. Princess brought Madge out of her shell as well. They went to the beach together, and before, Madge never walked anywhere. Madge will foster again!”

 

Trinity and Gordon
Well, my good fortune just kept right on rolling! I am now with my forever family with Gordon and Gillian Kirkwood, both of them animal welfare activists, who live in Belize City and are building a new home in Sarteneja.  Gordon drove all the way down to Maya Beach to pick me up.  I sat in the front seat, watching the beautiful scenery go by.  And you all know that photo of the happiest dog in the world hanging its head and tongue out the car window?  Well, that dog was me.

And I have a new name—“Trini”—short for Trinity.  Nothing wrong with the number 3!

 

TrinityOh, wait, my owner and best friend, Gillian, wants to say a few words:

“Trini is the glue that holds the pack together! She is a constant kisser—my other dogs have never done this before. But not only do they kiss Trini, they kiss each other too! We’ve never had a dog like her before.  She’s so loyal and is always right by my side or watching if I move out of a room and comes with me! She also tends to sleep as near as she can to us, but hasn’t been in the bed yet! Such a character and much loved! Because of all the animal cruelty and things I’ve seen done to cats and dogs all over the world, I tend to box my heart up! Especially as I normally do fosters and give the animals away! It’s hard for an animal to break that facade I put up.   Trini just busted right through! She is one very special dog. Thank you, PHS, for spearheading her recovery. TrinityWe had just lost our own dog to TVT, despite treating, and her in remission, she got internal bleeding turnouts! Horrible disease but that’s what you get when you save a street dog. My husband, Gordon and I had always said our next dog would be either elderly or a tripod! And Trini came up for adoption at the right time. Gotta say she is the best of all the dogs that have passed through our home!”

Trinity and friends
That’s me (in the middle) with my 2 best friends