Mai

When I called MACSPRO in August 1997 interested in adopting a rescue, I was told that Mai could not go into a home with other dogs. She was animal agressive because she had been forced into a life as a fighting dog. She was two at the time. We had two other Shar-Pei then, Nikki and Raisin, and wanted one for my daughter who was still living at home. So, we went to see Mai and took Raisin with us. Mai didn't much care about Raisin or any other animal around. She was looking for love. She knocked me over trying to give me kisses. She bowled me over in more ways than one and I knew we had to have her. And when my daughter moved out on her own we argued over who would get Mai. I won!

MaiShe had a good nine years with us. She was a happy dog and we were happy to have her. We never really saw that animal aggressive dog we were told about and we have always had three or four of them around. She was our grand poobah and the others deffered to her but she was a true love in our lives.

She certainly had her share of medical issues. She had three cancerous growths removed during her time with us. She started having issues with arthritis at the age of five and by the age of seven she was diagnosed with Cushings. In the end, it was the arthritis that took her from us. She lived longer than we ever thought she could. She would have been 12 in February. Such a short time and yet the love she brought, the companion she was, the memories she left, will endure forever. And so will the emptiness I feel now that she's gone.

-Deb Pope