GUS GOT HIS WINGS

AWL's beautiful friends Craig and Tracey Kleber's companion is now by the Rainbow Bridge.
Craig wrote a heart warming letter that touched us incredibley and I want to share it with you.
I got his permission to post the farewell letter.

You are on this letter because you met me, or knew of me through my parents. I want to thank all of you for being nice to me. I was the eleven year old, blind, patially deaf, mangy dog everyone passed by at the Sunday adoption in Santa Monica. But I had lots of potential - no I was not handicapped, I was special, and the people who gave me a chance got to know a great little dog. I hope I am a lesson to all people; do not turn away from the physically challenged, we have gifts others do not. Just look at what I became! How did I arrive at my lucky last five years after being ignored, neglected and not given good medical treatment? Cate (Used Pets rescue and adoption), a truly kind soul, rescued me, she saw me walking the rougher streets of LA with no eyesight - I don't know how I was not run over. My parents, who volunteered with Cate, adopted me after seeing me week after week not getting any attention at the adoption - nothin'. With really good care from Dr. Lisa and Dr. Victor, lots of grooming and good food, dog chews and people food scraps, I got healthy. I was glad to be spoiled. Creature and Vinnie did not know what to make of me; I bumped into them, I didn't run, I slept a lot, I liked being outdoors more than in. It was tough at the beginning. But I learned to climb up and down patio stairs, go exploring deep in the bushes and emerge without help, always show up for a treat in the rear garden. I barked a lot because I wanted people to know I was coming or to protect the house form the pool guy and neighborhood dogs. If you spent time with me, you watched me out-beg my brothers, not back down to bigger dogs or ward off the mailman - lots of you said I was cute. But this weekend I said goodbye. I wanted to go to heaven, I asked my parents and they said it was okay. My little body was betraying me to the point where I was not me anymore. Dr. Victor who was so kind, and helped me on my journey, said it best - my soul had already left my body, I was now looking for an escape. So I escaped to a better place. So now I have eyes again, I am running, I am happy and healthy. Thank you all for making my last years on earth so wonderful. 'Be comforted, little dog, thou too in the Resurrection, shall have a little golden tail' - Martin Luther