I just had to share this touching testimonial with you. Hannah was one of my clients when I first started working with animals and I will never forget her story or her beautiful spirit. She had many more years with her Mama Holly and went to the Rainbow Bridge in 2017. This is her story.
My name is Hannah, but my mama, Holly, calls me “Hannah Banana”. I have no idea why because I’m a Chihuahua, not a long yellow thing. I do know that I was named after another Chihuahua named Hannah who didn’t have one eye just like me and already passed away.
I lost my eye because I lived in a place called a “backyard breeder”. They wanted me to make lots of babies but before I could get around to it, the other ladies in the cage with me beat me up and hurt my eye. Right about that time, a group called Chihuahua Rescue and Transport found me. They took me to the doctor for my eye but decided to just take the thing out. I don’t mind, I see fine without it. The next thing I remember is being taken to a place called “Chihuahua Fest” with a lot of other little guys like me. I wore this really cool vest that said “adopt me”. You know what!?!? That is just what happened!
My Mama Holly was there and she snatched me up and brought me home. I live in a wonderful place with other Chihuahuas and even a big goofy Doberman. (He is scared to death of us little guys. Teehee!) But there was one dog here who didn’t like me. (Another one…what is UP with that!?!?) She grabbed me one day and shook the heck out of me and put a big hole in my neck. Boy did that hurt! So, there I lay and Mama Holly snatched me up and took me to the doctor, again. I started to feel fine, I was just gonna go to sleep forever and move on. But Mama rubbed my chest all the way to the doctor’s office and they stuck a needle in my arm, gave me some kind of shot, and stapled up my neck.
I hung out at the clinic like that for five days. For some reason, I just couldn’t move anything! But they kept me warm and held my head up so I could eat LOTS! Mama Holly came to see me twice a day and kept crying. I don’t know why; I was quite fine. I was just resting and healing.
When I came home, my Chihuahua buddy, Dillon, sat with me ALL the time. I wanted some peace and quiet, but no. Sometimes he even sat on top of me! After about ten days, Mama took me back to the vet to get my staples out. I wanted to show them how I could hold my feet just a little stiff. Well, I don’t know why but they didn’t think that was good enough and told my Mama that I didn’t have a good quality of life and she should euthanize me. I’m not sure what that is but it didn’t sound so good to me. I had better things to do like getting better and walking again!
Luckily, Mama said no and back home we went. Then she kept me up half the night while she looked on the computer for ways to fix me up. That is how she found Holistic Pet Therapy Center in North Canton, Ohio and my pal, Beth Elsfelder. Well, Miss Beth does this really cool stuff called Healing Touch for Animals, Reiki, and Craniosacral Therapy. She touched me EVER so gently and boy I started to tingle and amazing things started to happen. For example, one day I thought I should move my back legs a little bit. You know what? I did! And from there I decided to curl up when I slept and even clean my tummy. The one that really got Mama Holly going was when I wagged my tail! Gosh, she cried again!
Well, I kept going to see Miss Beth every few weeks and Mama kept rubbing my legs and encouraging me and you know what? One day I just decided I needed to stop being such a lazy little Chihuahua and I stood up! From there, it was easy. I took a few steps and now I toddle all over the place. I walk sort of funny because things don’t work like they used to, but who cares! I am on the road again and I’m a very happy little girl! Thank you, Miss Beth! I love you now ALMOST as much as Mama Holly! People keep calling me a “miracle” but I’m just Hannah.