Gizmo Jefferey

A VERY SAD DAY AND THE END OF AN ERA (24.10.2018)

On 24.10.2018, a devastated Steve and Pauline said a final goodbye to their lovely boy. It was at home and Gizzie slipped away peacefully. He had been letting them know it was his time and he was ready for his final journey.

Gizzie and Sprocket went peacefully to Rainbow Bridge on 24th October 2018.

Pauline says “Many thanks to Nick (our Holistic vet) and Roger (our conventional vet of some 40yrs) and to the lovely people at Companions Haven Pet Cemetery for their compassion and kindness as always.

Thanks too for all the flowers, cards, poems and messages of support and precious personal gifts from Gizzie’s many wonderful doggie friends and those of Sprocket too, of course.

I will treasure forever Di’s beautiful album and the lovely Carol Menning collection of pet bereavement poems and essays sent to me by Val but I can’t look at them until I feel much braver than I do right now.

I want to sincerely thank, too, everyone who has been getting behind us on Gizmo’s legacy of spreading his pawitry worldwide to help poorly and elderly dogs. I know it was dog angel Gizmo who came up with the idea of THE GIZZIE and SPROCKET MEMORIAL APPEAL.

Now at Rainbow Bridge, my two beautiful dog angels who ascended together, will remain together forever. Gizzie, for sure, will be reunited now with so many of his wonderful foster and adoptive brothers and sisters. Until the day when we all meet again xxxxxxxxxx.

Now reunited with other Jefferey boys; Ricky, Barney, Freddie, Danny and Eddie.

They found me on a rubbish heap, a pup, a few weeks old
I missed the warmth of mum and felt so lonely, wet and cold.
I was scavenging for bits of food, my body weak and thin
So thank the Lord for those good folks who kindly took me in.

They made sure all was well again then found a home for me
Where I’d be truelly cherished like all us dogs should be
I want to thank the rescuers for doing what they do
For sure, the angels smile on us by finding folk like you.

Disgraced, I was returned again and went to live with Ma
Firstly as a foster till I captivated Pa
They fell in love with my big ears and sad appealing eyes
They found my whizzing funny, their mirth hard to disguise.

I learnt to sit and down and stay and walk at my Mum’s heel
She used a little clicker thing and tidbits from my meal
When lots and lots of fosters stayed, I loved to lend a paw
No dog, whatever problems, turned away from our Mum’s door

And now I am quite famous for things that I can do
Like counselling and housework and pawitry penning too
People come to watch and laugh as round and round I whizz
My humans simply love me, their gorgeous Supergizz

A FINAL GOODBYE TO OUR GIZZIE &SPROCKET

A heartbroken Pauline says “In a strange way, losing the two of them at the same time was less painful and it was quite reassuring that they would be making their final journey together.   It was on Wednesday 24.10.2018 at 10.00am that Steve and I went to Corsham, just the other side of Bath from us, to see Nick, our Holistic Vet, with Sprocket and Gizzie.   Poor Sprocket had suffered a massive stroke and, having relapsed after seeming to rally, he had to be carried into Nick’s consulting room. After a very thorough examination, Nick told us, reluctantly, there was no more that he could do to save him so, it was very clear, the kindest thing would be to say, “goodbye”.

Nick also checked Gizmo thoroughly and, although he felt he wasn’t in the same degree of distress as Sprocket, he did think we had exhausted every viable treatment. We all knew that losing Sprocket would tip him over the edge and keeping him alive for a few more days would be simply for our benefits. There was, again, only one viable option open to us.

Our dogs are always given peace at home so Nick rang Roger, our conventional vet for over 40yrs, and they talked through Nick’s conclusions. In the meantime, Steve and I solemnly drove home with the boys. As expected, Roger rang us within half an hour of arriving home.   We made sure the boys had their evening meal (their favourite Nature’s Menu Duck) and then they lay in the kitchen side by side together in the sunshine. The other four dogs said “goodbye” one by one then went out into the garden and, then, into our van in the shade.   Roger came straight from Bath within another half hour and, of course, he totally agreed with Nick’s opinion. So. at 1pm, Gizmo went to Rainbow Bridge first. It was very peaceful and he was, clearly, totally ready to go. Sprocket hadn’t even noticed, bless him, so he, then, quietly followed Gizzie to the Bridge.   After Roger left, the other dogs all came back in one by one to say a final farewell. This happened with varying degrees of interest. Georgie sniffed them from had to toe as did Rhani but Mossie and George were more interested in the sandwich in Steve’s hand ….so typical. Almost immediately afterwards, I walked down our back steps and there was the purest white feather. I knew, immediately, it was from Sprocket to let us know they were ok.   I rang Companions Haven pet crematorium and we booked to go there at 4.30pm. We took the other four dogs with us, in their cages in the van, and with the boys wrapped up together in the middle section. On the way, I realised I had to have a bite to eat (for taking my pills) so we popped into a small Garden Centre near the crematorium. I looked in my notes wallet and felt a lump in the back coin section, which I rarely use, and there was an old penny. It was, clearly, sent to me by Gizzie so I knew weI had his total approval too.

As we were walking out of the Garden Centre, I saw two lovely blue stars (Christmas decorations) so, of course, I had to have them. There were only two there!

The crematorium people were, as always compassionate and lovely with the boys. We hated leaving them but we knew they were in safe hands.

OUR FIRST DAY WITHOUT THEM

Thursday, 25 th October, dawned after I had had my first restful night for ages and it was a very different morning to my norm. There was much less food to prepare and a lot fewer pills and potions. It occurred to me just how much I had been working on automatic pilot doing so many things for my invalids but I didn’t begrudge a nanosecond and just wanted them back. It did make me smile remembering us trying to race Gizzie out to the garden immediately after he had eaten before the turds appeared. Thankfully, eating bones had kept them hard as rock so the inevitable trail he left behind him could be picked up easily. I swear, Gizzie with his ever mischievous sense of humour, was laughing at us running after him with our plastic spades, kitchen roll and white vinegar. I also smiled when I thought each dog that goes to Heaven takes a huge chunk of our hearts. “It’s no wonder I have such a dicky ticker!!!!” The silence was deafening. All was strangely quiet even though, our usually noisy Sprocket hadn’t been vocal for a week since he had his stroke. Being almost completely deaf, he barked very loudly when he wanted something!  I reflected on how terrifying it all must have been for him with poor hearing as well as almost complete blindness. He didn’t deserve to suffer like that. He was too precious, too gentle and too adorable. That brought the tears.

I knew I had done my best for him for his last week but, in my heart of hearts, went we went to see Nick it was more for confirmation than anything. We both knew, this time, our amazing, super-intuitive Nick was not going to be able to pull a rabbit out of the hat for us.

We were pretty certain it was Sprocket’s time but there was still just an outside chance it was a very bad ear infection that was causing his head to tilt so strongly to the right. One of Spro’s many problems, a legacy of his hellhole life before rescue, was mucky ears that had to be cleaned virtually every day despite his really good diet making a world of difference, Sadly, his ears were fine and it had definitely been a stroke.

I had clung to the knowledge that, after all, Sprocket was still eating and drinking and peeing and poohing as normal as was Gizzie and, up to the time of his stroke, he had appeared to be very fit and happy and loving as ever. But, deep down, in my heart of hearts, I knew I was kidding myself .However, I had still gone with some hope of Nick performing one of his many miracles where conventional vets had failed. When we went Steve, I knew, being much more realistic, was more sure of what the outcome was going to be and, damn him, he was right. 

That morning, it also struck me how much Gizzie had gradually been withdrawing from being with the others, not just throughout the last week but it had been building up gradually over a few weeks. Gizzie had always been at the front of the queue for inadvertent droppings at breakfast time and for nutritional human food leftovers. When getting official tidbits, he was always on the left of the semi-circle of dogs patiently waiting for their share but then Gizzie whizzed round to the right of the half circle so that he got a second treat. He thought I didn’t realise and, of course, I always played the game for him. It made me smile again remembering his antics and there were many. He was ever the clown.

Suddenly, that morning, it became obvious. Gizzie, recently, had been holding back and staying in his bed much more. I think it was probably partly because his long, skinny legs did Bambi on the ice impersonations, especially on the kitchen floor, as he refused to walk slowly on it. I realised it had all built up slowly but he had definitely lost his confidence. 

Gizzie also had a tumour on his toe that was getting bigger and bigger and it had just begun to annoyi him. We had all agreed, at his age, almost 13yrs, an op wasn’t in his best interests especially as he had a stroke himself in June 2017. Miraculously, he had come through that relatively unscathed so I thanked the angels who had allowed me 16 more months with my wonderful boy. It was good to have a positive thought to cling on to I knew my lovely lad really had definitely come to the end of the road and he had been more than ready to go for several days but Gizzie had just been hanging on for my sake, patiently waiting for me to realise. He had been needing my permission for him to leave us.

I had been dreading the inevitable and, for months, post stroke, I had been readying myself for the upcoming heartbreak. Nick spotted it immediately and Roger confirmed it. My Gizzie was simply worn out and tired and wanted to leave this life, bless him. I reflected more and, of course, I had known our last visit to Nick was more in hope than expectation but he and homeopathy with him and our other wonderful holistic vets had performed many miracles over the years for us so we had to give it our best shot.   Of course, I had known the truth deep down but none of us want to admit the horrible truth. I had been refusing to admit it to anyone especially myself. I ran through everything in my mind, satisfying myself that I hadn’t actually been allowing him to suffer but I was as sure as I could be that he was always pain free. Well, after all, he had his DNA test done years before and it had shown he was 3/4 German Shepherd Dog. Gizzie, like our many GSDs before, was never the bravest of boys totally unlike our much more stoic Golden Retrievers who were, worryingly, always a dab hand at hiding their pain. 

I was going from emotion to emotion sorrow, guilt, even anger and the huge longing to have them back for just the one more day but, of course, that couldn’t be and how selfish were those thoughts unless they were miraculously younger and whole again.

I ran it all through in my mind.  Gizzie had always eaten like a goodun, almost twice as much as our much smaller Georgie and Rhani, so that was a good sign wasn’t it? The only reason for him taking a back step probably was, simply, that, being a pup at heart, he was hating life as an old fellow. I can concur with that feeling because “it definitely don’t come alone”.

It would be so hard, Gizzie had been my alter ego for many years so losing him has been saying “goodbye” to part of myself but I was starting to come to terms with things. The boys are suffering no more, that burden falls on us, and that is how it has to be.

Both Nick and Roger sent us condolence cards with heartfelt messages which we will treasure forever and we have been given wonderful gifts and beautiful flowers. Everyone has been very kind to Steve and I. Such caring is a great comfort when times are tough.

REMEMBERING THE BOYS

To honour the memory of the boys, we set up the Gizmo and Sprocket Memorial Fund with the emphasis of the fund being for disabled and poorly dogs initially as our poor Sprocket came to us virtually blind and partially deaf as well as possessing a heart murmur.

Over the years, we had also fostered and helped to very successfully rehome both blind and three-legged dogs. Helping the poorly dogs that needed extensive vet treatment was perfect and the sad loss of our boys would have some purpose. I have to say, the thought really raised our spirits.

As Gizmo was the IRR Pawet Laureat for many years, we decided an appropriate thank you to everyone who donated would be to send out pdf compilations of Gizzie’s pawitry and that of a some of his friends.

GIZZIE & SPROCKET MEMORIAL MEET

Gizzie was always very generous of spirit and he would have never wanted his friends to miss out on anything so the planned Sunday Get Together of his West Country mates went ahead as planned on 28th October but it became the Gizmo and Sprocket Memorial Meet

Everyone, as usual, was kind, supportive and generous and the very first funds were raised for the Memorial Appeal. Many remembered back to the previous Get Together on 9th September when both Gizzie and Sprocket had a whale of a time, mingling and being spoilt with dog treats.

Some of the humans there had their own recent bereavements to remember but it wasn’t a sad occasion as they congregated up by the memorial seat at the top of the field. Rather, it was a celebration of the lives of all their beautiful dog angels and, of course, the dogs that were there, as always, happily ran free and played together.

We all smiled as we imagined all the dog angels doing exactly the same at Rainbow Bridge. I do know for sure, Gizzie was at Rainbow Bridge spinning with delight and his loyal sidekick, Sprocket, was barking loudly on the sidelines to cheer him on.

THE BOYS ARE HOME (5.11.2018)

Gizzie and Sprocket, our lovely boys, have come home. Today, 5th November, we went to collect their ashes, their pawprints, their locks of hair and their memorial daisy which will go with them to the field when they are finally laid to rest there with Danny, Ricky, Eddie and my Mum who will be keeping an eye on them all for us.

LAID TO REST (30.11.2018)

The sun shone on us today as the boys’ ashes were placed under the memorial bench at our field. Forever, they will be able to survey the place they probably loved the most. Soon afterwards, we had a light shower of rain and then a lovely rainbow appeared.

HISTORY OF GIZMO (in his own words)

It is 2010 and I am now a well established pawet and pawthor still living happily in Somerset with my long suffering humans, 5 brothers and one sister:-

Danny (who is Irish like me and is about 12yrs) and Ricky and Eddie (who are English brothers) are 10 yrs. They are all rescue Golden Retrievers. They are OK but they aren’t too keen on the games I want to play.

My other brothers are Georgie and Ferdie. They are just over 2yrs old and, like me, they are also Irish foster dogs who stayed forever.

I also have a sister, Rhani, who is Irish too and also started off as a foster dog just like me (you are probably now gathering how useless my Mom and Dad are at fostering).

I don’t know when my proper birthday is but Mummy Pauline says I was 5yrs on my last Gotcha Day (22nd August). That will a whole 4 years since I was adopted by her and Daddy Steve.

Ma & Pa were my foster parents for a couple of months before they adopted me. They took me on after I had misbehaved at a previous fosterer’s house and had to be moved quickly……………ooops!!!!  Come to that, they ended up fostering Ferdie and Georgie for pretty similar reasons.

Mummy and Daddy say I am very naughty sometimes but they are never really cross with me because they know I was found scavenging on a rubbish heap when I was only a few weeks old and so they make lots of “allowances”. One of my “funny habits” is that I love to go round and round in circles when the Jack Russell next door winds me up with her high pitched barking.

I love it when we have foster dogs to stay because I can then play and play. Three years ago, I had a very best friend called Stevie. He couldn’t see me ‘cos he was blind but he could play great games just the same. Del Boy, now Digby, was great fun too despite having one of his legs amputated not that anyone ever notices his leg is missing.

Penny and Dazzle came to stay with us too. They were great fun and pretty naughty too. Connie came to us too with her little babies Drake and Brian.

Connie, Stevie and Digby are all Sponsor Dogs just like me.  

I didn’t get to play with Lady Isabelle when she stayed with us as she was a lot older than me but I used to bark at her and she would bark back, which used to annoy mummy a bit because poor Izzy would get breathless. Mummy said she went to live with Aunty Debbie and her 2 well behaved, elderly dogs and a one-eyed cat called Nelson.

Mummy was very sad quite soon after that because Izzy went to this special place called Rainbow Bridge. Apparently, it is a lovely place where all doggies will go one day.

I have had loads of other really lovely foster brothers and sisters over the years and my brother Danny has had even more than me as he has had foster friends since 2005.

Well, that’s all about me for now so I’d better sign off. Mummy is on her way back and will be wanting to use the pooter so I had better wipe my paw marks off the keys and clean up the hairs and dog biscuit droppings.”

SPONSOR DOG

So, I didn’t really tell you about me being a Sponsor Dog. I was one of the very first ones together with Alice, Bouncer, Connie, Digby, Drake, Jimmy, Lola, Molly, Nugget, Pudsey, Ricky and Stevie.

Mum says I am always a youngster at heart maybe because I didn’t have a proper babyhood, being found scavenging on a rubbish tip as a very young puppy.

I have always been a very loving dog but certain “behavioural issues” made me un- rehomeable except to anyone as brave as my Mum and Dad (Pauline and Steve. Mum says I am a nutter!!!!!

I was very happy to be a Sponsor Dog to help raise funds to help other dogs who have been severely damaged mentally in a similar way to me.

I would like to say “Many thanks to everyone who kindly sponsored me”.

IT’S GIZMO REPORTING AGAIN (January 2013)

Gizmo says “Seven years on from being found on that rubbish heap – where did all that time go?”

“Everyone says I have turned into one very smart cookie although modesty prevents me from saying too much. After another very busy day in the life of the Gizzmaestro, I also have chilling off to a fine art.”