Bruno's Tribute

All about Bruno

Owner:

Alysia Fiveland

City:

Orlando

Province, Country:

FL, United States

Type/Breed:

Rottweiler/ Hound

Date of Birth:

unknown

Date of Death

January 24th 2001

Sex:

Male

Height:

Not Provided

Weight:

Not Provided

Coat Colour:

black/ brown

Eye Colour:

honey

I found Bruno as a stray when I was only 8 or 9 years old. I was walking with my friends through a construction site in our neighborhood when I was distracted by a black hump in the distance. I don't know why or how I was drawn to it. It could have been anything, afterall, we were in a construction site. I began to make my way over to the mysterious dark spot. As I got closer, I started to make the figure out, it was moving a little. I walked faster, still unsure why until I saw that the black hump was a dog! I sat next to it. I was always an animal lover, but I never had actually "had" a real dog of my own. I noticed it was injured and I wanted to help. I told one of my friends to go and get my mom. Eventually my mom came and was a little unsure about the dog. She told me to leave him there and come home. I took my jacket off and laid it over the dog and went home, feeling a little guilty. The next day, without telling anyone, I left for the construction site to see if the stray was okay, but he was gone. I was worried, but I went back home anyway.

Almost a week later, I was at my friend's house playing with her dogs, when I saw the same dog again. I ran over to pet him and asked my friend if I could have some of her dog food. She willingly gave my some and I fed it to the dog. Afterwards, I borrowed one of her dog leashes and brought him to my house. I begged my mom to at least let me feed him and wash him. She agreed to let him stay in the garage for only one night, but that was all it took anyway. The next morning, he was gone, but every other day or so, he would come back for some food and something to drink, and I always gave him some. My mother also gradually got attached to him. :-)

After a month or so, one of my neighbors became annoyed with the dog, and called Animal Services. I found out because my friend was outside waiting with him, tied to a tree. I went over there and waited too. It didn't seem like long before I saw that horrid white van chugging down the street. He stopped in front of me and my friend and came out. Apparantly, my mother also saw, because she, too, came outside. I think the man knew that we were deeply upset and he told my mother,

"You, know...if you tell me that he's yours, I'll drive away right now. No questions asked."

As if he knew what was going on, the dog looked up at my mother with large, pleading eyes...there was a short hesitation...

"He's mine."

And that was all it took.

We brought him home, and sat down to decide on a name. I suggested Lucky to my mother, but she didn't like it. I also suggested Willy, because I just finished reading a book about a rottweiler named Willy. Yet again, my mother wasn't fond of it. After a long sit down, we agreed on Bruno, for no apparent reason. He was just a big dog. We had fun for a few weeks. We bought him food, toys, a bed that he never used. :-). Taking him for walks...And I remember just laying down next to him and telling him that I loved him. But, then we took him to the vet, only to discover terrible news. Bruno had Heartworms and wouldn't live very long. I was devastated.

After almost a year of fun and loving times with Bruno, he died on the surgery table...seconds before he was supposed to have his surgery to rid of his heartworms. It was the darkest day of my life.

Though Bruno is gone, he will never be forgotten. There will always be that terrible empty feeling in the center of my heart and I will always feel blessed of the thought that I saved him from a lonely death in the streets. That I inspired his life in some way. Some people may say that he's "Just a dog"...but I know better. Now he is a spirit, he will always be with me, and I will always love him as my best friend. He helped me through so many things. He was my hope for life.

I love you, Bruno.....

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