July 9th, 2010
Melanie Bruski with one of her rescues. Photo by Pamela Marches
She only had him for 6 days, but Melanie Bruski still cries when she thinks of Gideon Brown.
The 1-year-old pup was diagnosed with a severe case of kennel cough, but after Melanie rescued him from the shelter, she knew it was more serious. A more thorough diagnosis revealed the dog had suffered a hit or kick so severe that it had collapsed his diaphragm.
“He would do any command you asked of him, he just wanted to be held and loved all of the time,” says Melanie. “In the first couple of days, I thought he would make it, but those last handful of days were very hard.”
Gideon died on the operating table, as the vet just could not get his lungs to inflate. “They called me and let me say goodbye and hold him,” says Melanie, in a breaking voice. “I still have him in a box in my bedroom.”
This is what Melanie does – rescuing mostly the sick and elderly – so these canines will die in someone’s arms, knowing someone cared and loved them.
Melanie, 26, has been involved in rescue for the past three years, in between balancing a full-time job and caring for her family, which includes a husband, two children, a teenage niece, 3 dogs, 2 cats, and 2 hermit crabs.
Melanie with her 3 canine kids. Photo by Pamela Marches
Melanie, who is now a resident of Temecula, Calif., grew up in Montrose, Colorado, on a farm around animals and 4-H.
Melanie’s husband is also an animal lover and his mother is involved with the Southern California Golden Rescue. Melanie, who is also now a board member of the organization, says her mother in law asked her to pick up some Goldens from shelters in her area.
Melanie was hooked.
Melanie, who ironically is allergic to dog slobber, also sports a large tattoo on her forearm to hide a scar from a dog that attacked her at one of her shelter visits.
She doesn’t discuss any hardships she has endured in her rescue work but she openly shares all of the stories of the animals she’s loved.
Most are Goldens, but Melanie will rescue any dog that tugs on her heart. She recently just rescued a blind dog she dubbed Ray Charles.
There’s also been Prudence, who couldn’t see, had open sores, broken ribs from beatings, and a choke chain embedded in his neck; Jim Abbott, a 10-month old puppy that was hit by a car and dropped at the shelter to be euthanized (he survived); Macey, a pit bull abandoned at a home without food or water for at least 3 weeks, and James Howlett, a French Mastiff found lying in a ditch, his skull cracked and tail broken from abuse.
Every dog gets a name, sometimes its named for a shelter worker who took the time to call, sometimes the dog is given a first and last name.
Melanie has saved over 100 dogs in her rescue work. She doesn’t know how many she’s lost overall, but says she lost 15 just last year. “The best part is getting the old ones,” Melanie says. “I will take a 14-year-old over a puppy any day because those are the ones no one wants.”
Melanie recalls Henry, a Golden whose owners dropped off at the shelter because he had a severe case of Cushing’s Disease. “He could barely walk and was bloated,” says Melanie. “He weighed 125 pounds, but I managed to carry him to the car.”
Henry only survived a short time after Melanie got him home. “He was loved for an hour, at least he got to die in the arms of someone who really loved him,” says Melanie.
Of the dogs Melanie has rescued that were adoptable, she has found homes for all but one so far. She doesn’t know what accounts for her high adoption rate.
Perhaps her passion for the homeless and broken is contagious.
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Tags: abused, dogs, elderly dogs, In the Arms of an Angel, Melanie Bruski, sick, Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue
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15 Responses to “In the Arms of an Angel”
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Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell has had dogs all of her life. Her first rescue was Hershey, a miniature black and brown Dacshund. She ruled the Campbell household until 2005 when she passed away at age 16. The case of Scruffy, a Yorkshire terrier whose torture death was videotaped in 1997, horrified the nation when the tape appeared on national news shows. Kerri began covering the trial for the local daily newspaper in Kansas City, Kansas where the crime occurred. Her investigation into animal cruelty cases led to her awareness of the puppy mill problem in that state.
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Wow – what a beautiful and inspiring story. Thank you, Kerri!
Having that kind of compassion I can imagine, but the ability to deal with all the grief all the time I cannot. Blessings upon her head. Really!
This girl is an amazing woman whom has all the love in the world for these animals. I have known her for over 15 years and she has always been an animal lover whom will take her busy days and place them to the side just to bring a dog the love and a safe warm home that they deserve. Many many blessings are headed your way Melanie! Continue on with the great job you have done! Those dogs would have nothing if it were not for the love you carry in that huge heart of yours!
Amazing – this woman is an angel. It’s so inspiring to know there are people like this out there. All good things to you Melanie!
I read all the time, seldom comment.
I just had to this time….WOW, what a magnificent, loving, caring young lady.
Thank you so much for this story. It just does my heart so much good.
Thank you all so much for your kind words! Means so much to me that people care about what I am trying to do!! Thank you all SO much!
Excellent and very interesting post. I’ve printed some of this and placed it on my board by my desk to help me remember my focus.
Thank you for this article. Looking forward to next one.
TY for the great info! I wouldn’t have discovered this otherwise!
i am so sory about all these animals. i wish i cold help i love animals i cant help cuz i have a cat and a dog well i use to have a cat but she was a outside cat. so if you see a cat that is black and white and is wereing white socks give me a call at 5013176812 PLEASE we love her to death animals are like my life i wold do any thing to help. ijust apslotly love animals.
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