[pyrnet] An introduction [long - sorry!]

[Diana Brown <nixie@mad.scientist.com>]

Dear New Friends,

Hello!  My name is Calysto and I am a four-year-old Pyrenean Mountain Dog who lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  I have a small problem, and my mom said you might be able to help me.

You see, it’s like this.  I haven’t had such an easy life – certainly not the sort of life that every good Pyr deserves.  I was born about four years ago – probably here in Albuquerque or some place near by.  For some reason, my family decided not to keep me.  I was sent through a couple of homes, then ended up at the Albuquerque Animal Humane Association.  Mom says she is not sure if I was taken there or if I was picked up as a stray – and I don’t remember that far back.  All the nice Animal Humane people would tell mom was that I had been in “several” homes before I came to them.  While I was there, I was spayed and microchipped.  Then, I was adopted to new home. Unfortunately, they left me in the back yard all the time, all by myself.  I was very lonely, so sometimes I would go for little walks around the neighborhood to find someone to talk to.  And they didn’t seem to appreciate my “three o’clock and all’s well” bark either.  Working hard, even through my loneliness, I guarded the yard like a god Pyr.  They thought I barked too much and said I was something called an “escape artist” and they gave me to some other people. Who thought the same thing and gave me to some other people.  The last set of people – well the second set wouldn’t tell Animal Humane who they were.  From that third place, I went wandering around to find some friends, and ended up in a kennel at Animal Humane again.  My mom and dad found me there, and were ready to adopt me even before Animal Humane was ready to let go of me!  They said they had to wait, in case people #3 decided to come for me – but they didn’t think it would be a problem. So mom and dad came and visited me on weekends, and even brought me someone to play with – I met my new brother, a beauceron puppy! (they are herding dogs, not flock-protecting dogs, but they must be ok, because they have double dew claws too!).

One day, while mom and dad and my beaucy brother were visiting, they ran into a lady named Marty (?) and her Pyrenees, Hercules.  I didn’t get to talk with him, but mom said he was a very handsome boy and seemed very nice.  Marty was with Pyrenees Rescue, and was checking on me – and was very happy to hear that I had found a home.  She offered to send mom and dad some information on Pyrs and “Pyr people” in town, but she must have lost mom’s name, because she never did…  So, Mom found the GPCA web site, and wrote an e-mail to their rescue person for this area – who didn’t answer. 

You see, I am what mom calls a “classic” Pyr.  She says from my double dews to my Polar-Bear head, I am a picture-perfect pyr princess.  And she says that my personality so matches everything she can find about Pyrs, that it could only be (a) the result of generations of breed characteristic or (b) one really BIG coincidence.  Mom says I am a stereotypical girl!  She and dad are pretty convinced I am a purebred princess – but of course, have no way to know.

They don’t care about papers or anything – but they do care about me.  They think that if I am a purebred, then someone knows my family – dog-mom, dog-dad, siblings, cousins – and knows all of their histories.  They think that if I could find those people, then they could learn a lot that is helpful – like, if my grandma had a hip disorder at 5, should they start having me x-rayed now (I am 4) and keep an eye out for early signs – stuff they should tell Doctor Mike and Doctor Ray and Doctor Danny, my vets.  And mom says, if someone out there bred a wonderful girl like me, then surely they are worried about me, and wonder what happened to me, and would like to know that I am a sweet, wonderful girl with a happy family, and a loving home (except for Phobos, the beauceron. He is still a puppy, and doesn’t understand the obligations of work – so while I am busy guarding the yard, he tries to get me to play – and if I won’t, be bites me gently on the face to try to tease me into it.  Puppies!!)

By the way, for those of you who are wondering – the Animal Humane people named me “Mia” and I don’t know if that was my name before (since they did talk to some of my former people).  But my name now is Calysto.  In Greek mythology, Calysto was the daughter of Lycaos, who got into big trouble with Zeus for feeding him human flesh when Zeus was his guest.  Zeus turned him into a wolf – the original lycanthrope, or werewolf!  [Like me, as a result of obnoxious parents, the original Calysto had a tough childhood].  Later, Zeus saw the grown-up Calysto in the hunting train of Artemis (that’s Diana, just like my mom!) and fell for her (cause she was beautiful, like me, mom says). Well, his wife was pretty upset about it all - and to protect Calysto form her jealousy she was turned into – a bear!  Later, her son, an avid hunter, was lured by Zeus’ wife into an area where Calysto was – in hopes he would kill her!  Fortunately, she had found her guardian angel.  Calysto and her son are both to be found in the night sky, as the constellations of the Great and Lesser Bear.  So, you see, the Calysto bear protects and guides those who travel by night, having been placed there to live in eternity with her son, protected from evil influences by those who love her. Just like me.  

As you can see, I am a special and very loved girl.  Mom would feel ever so much better if she could find out who my parents are and if there is anything special I need to live a long and healthy life with her and dad and Phobos and Isis and Osiris (the feline brigade).  And although, when I first came home, I was very depressed and uncertain, I am now a happy confident girl – I know I am special now!  And if I am that special, then surely someone, somewhere wonders about me.  Someone who had a litter of Pyrs about four years ago, and doesn’t know where one of their girls went….?  Can you help me find them? I know it is hard, and there would be no way to guarantee finding the right person – but oh, if only I could tell them I am ok and happy….

Thank you for listening to me.  You can write back to me, or to my mom Diana, if you have any information, or suggestions for people to talk to.  Thanks very much to anyone who might be able to help. Mom doesn’t mind doing tons of looking – she just doesn’t know where to look!

Bark! Bark! <smile>
Calysto

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