From time to time we happen on a special animal that we form a special bond with and becomes almost as one with us. Such was my man TUCKER. He was a big beautiful Belgian Malinios that I rescued from Fort Worth, Texas, in 1991. He was already grown and not a youngster and although he was terribly thin, only sixty-seven pounds and had what appeared to be cigar burns on his legs, he was still handsome and regal.

On the way home, he lay his head in my lap and I knew he was my dog. After a visit to the vet for all the necessary vaccinations and examination, we headed home. He did fine except I could not get any weight on him and he couldn't keep anything down or he would have diarrhea. After almost two years on Zantac, he finally began to fill out. Although I had formed a special bond with Tucker, I felt he would make someone a great family pet so I adopted him to a young family with children. After the third time he escaped from their fenced yard and I retrieved him, I figured he must surely be mine forever so he came home.

I discovered that this big ol dog was scared to death of loud noises and especially, storms. I spent many afternoons in a downpour trying to get him over his fear. All I accomplished was getting both of us soaked. I decided to just live with it and make sure he was someplace safe when storms threatened. If I had to fly, he went to the vet and they put him in a secure run but more often than not, he ended up under someone's desk or he would stay with one of his many admirers. On the days I was home, he went with me.

In 1996, we had outgrown Southlake and we moved to Paradise, Texas. By this time Animal Angels had grown to about twenty-five dogs and Tucker was the alpha dog and kept everyone in line. Although he was still scared silly of loud noises he did okay. Of course living in the country, every now and then, a good ol "Bubba" somewhere close by would decide to fire his rifle and Tucker would go over whatever fence he was behind or claw the door to get inside where he would climb on the bed and shake. It felt like I had a vibrating mattress.

Tucker stayed in the kitchen and several times during the day, my neighbor Stacy and her little boy, John, would come down and let Tucker out on a leash and let him stretch his legs and go to the bathroom and lay on his back and let John rub his stomach. When I came home, I would let him out front and he would reestablish his dominance with everyone and all would be right with the world once again.

On October 23, 1998, I came home from a trip and I went out front with Tucker and before I knew it, he was over the fence. He and I would go back in the pasture and he would chase mice and other varmints and that is where he headed. It was dark and cold so I threw on my coat and got my light and went after him. He didn't stay in our pasture and ended up across the road. At 0100 I was in front of the house when I heard gun shots.

My Tucker crossed the Rainbow Bridge on October 24, 1998, and we buried him at "Angels Rest", our little cemetery. He rest there with Billy, Mo, Sam, Little, White Wolf Good Puppy, Doc, Big Jake, Christmas Jean, Edna Gertrude Sartor, Hannah, Ellie, Trapper Dean, Gray Bobby, Chase Man, Pflea Cat, Ms. Prudence Proper Cat, Ester and the sweet memories of Pepper, Bonnie, Clyde, Bubba, Pardner, Shana, Maxwell, Rusty Lynn, Corky Jo, Dixie Lee, Sandy, Old Mac, Tuesday Ann, Lady Bug, Betsy, Sunday Lu, Ginger, Goofy, Jack Cat and of course my only planned child, Stormy Sue Sanders.

With Love, from their Humans.