Patches

Patches + Orazie

"I never thought I would have this level of love." That's Orazie, about Patches, a cocker spaniel rescued from a puppy mill who spent her final years finally knowing what it felt like to just rest. 💛 Because sometimes rescuing a dog ends up rescuing something in you too. 

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All right. So please go ahead and tell me the name of your soul Dog. Patches. Patches. Okay. And how did you meet patches? Well, she, I adopted, I adopted her from the Atlanta Main Society, which is a main society here in Atlanta. And, and I am forever a cocker spaniel lover. Okay. This is over 15 years ago. I knew I wanted a spaniel and I used to go every other day to see what. What dog is there or whatever. Oh, wow. So, and then just to cuddle with dogs or take them out whatever they allowed me to do that day. and so I, they, they had a caucus banger come up. That was when I first saw her. She was mad at, she had been a, a puppy meal. They had, they had, they had like. Made her just make babies. breeds, get popular at the moment, but then they don't get popular anymore once that's over it's like, we don't wanna take care of you anymore. But I used to have a picture of her when I first got her, but I don't know how I lost it. This is before iPhones Right. she was just all matted up and then they told, did you want her? I was like, yes. And so they had her for a few days. cleaned her all up. Then she was beautiful. I remember the day I brought her home and I took the week off so I could like get her adjustment and everything. So yeah. Wow, that's amazing. You had a whole week home with her. How long did you wait to meet her? you said you went there almost every other day or a few times a week. It was probably like. maybe, I dunno if it was a year, It was like I got around my birthday, which is why I was kind of off. 'cause I normally take week off my birthday, my best birthday. It was like perfect. so I'm thinking probably a few months, like I had just bought my house and I was like, I get to have a house, I get to get a dog. Yes, yes, yes. That's so great. How did, she come about with her name? Patches? Well, She was white with brown, patches. and I'm all about peas 'cause my current dog is praline and my dog when I was growing up was pepper. So I have a pea thing. Perfect. what would you say you miss the most about patches? probably she was just a very chill dog. Like I got her when she was older my mom always joked she's living a life of luxury. she got to be in her resting stage. She had been pumped for babies for years and so now she relaxed. I was glad that I was able to give her that place of just relaxing and chilling, you know? Right, right. Just be comforting and I get to snuggle with you. The perfect pair. I like that a lot. Yeah. what would you say so how old was she when you ended up adopting her? She was probably like six or seven already. And I had her until she was like 14 and she died. She actually died on a walk She had, heart failure and there was nothing they could do. I guess I wasn't ready to put her down. my dad came over and he dug a grave Tulips are on top of her grave now, Oh, so she's buried in your backyard? Mm-hmm. So she's always with you. I love that. Yeah. Did you, so you said that you walked with her, were there any other, things that you liked to do together or how did you spend your time together? was it, just very happy being at home together? she could go on trips. we spend a lot more time at home now that I have a dog that is more of a home body where my previous soul dog, Charlie, he loves to be out and about, but I do feel like your animals can sometimes dictate to a certain extent, your lifestyle she loves to be home. So I'm like, oh. You know, I find myself staying home more often. Oh no. We used to go out, like, she goes out with me, like, go to my parents' house. She goes with me, go to my brother's house. She goes, with me, but we necessarily, did not do a dog park, but she would go out. She was not a social dog at all. Like, just with me, she was good. Or my family. Right. That's all she needed, right? Yeah, exactly. Yeah. so I'm a really big believer in the healing power of music and messages through songs are there any songs that remind you of her when I saw that, I said you got a friend in me. I was trying to think of the. Person. I can't sing. She got a friend in me. I've had other people sing. It's okay. So I'm not a singer. she was my first dog as an adult. I had pepper when I was a child. my mom had her, but it was like a family dog. The patches were the dog that I got as an adult with my first job, my first house. And it was just like, yeah. I'm an adult, I have a dog and I have responsibilities And so it was just us. I was at a point in my life where I was just finished college and just getting into the workplace and it was just like she was my buddy. And what about, what would you say is the greatest lesson that she gave you? Well, I guess, what do you think she would say to you if, she could say something to you? I don't know. I, I just, hmm. Just probably just thank you, you know Yeah. she could have gone to another home and was not as loving. just thank you for rescuing me from the life that I had and just to give me the rest. And so I think that's what she would say. She was thankful for the rest. Yes. So much gratitude, right? Yeah. on both ends, right? to have that wonderful, friend, especially right outta school and starting your life. she needed, a strong foundation for her remaining years. you mentioned that You, buried her in your backyard. Is there any other way that you, and of course you're lucky enough to be able to visit her body in the backyard if you wanted to, or just you know, have that presence, of her a lot of our listeners, are going through the grieving process or have a soul dog, and have a dog that they still remember whether it's five years or 20 years later. some people shared different ways that you may remember her or how you memorialized her, is there anything, that you did special to remember her or still do? Well, I think I've done this before on my social media and I'm doing something in the event that I'm having in May. It is just an honor wall to honor our pets that have pet. Oh, that's awesome. And so I've done that on her. she died in September, and so all my social media, I'll say just, I just do pictures of her just to honor her and just, just opportunity for other people to say about. Their dog to, give them names, and give life to that idea. And so that's what I do to honor her. I think it lets people bring community around that because so often people feel ashamed of their dog being lost. it's nothing shameful about that. It's something that's part of your life and it's gone. it could be your dog, your favorite tree in your front yard, whatever works for you. honor it and talk about it. It's a safe space Great. So you mentioned your foundation and your walk. can you tell me the name of it? Oh, sure. It's Fraley Backyard Foundation. we house pets of domestic violence survivors anywhere in the US via, partnership with pet boarding facilities and amazing pet fosters who open up their home to, to our survivors. Pets. and so we have an annual event coming up on May 4th here in Atlanta and virtually anywhere in the world. One of the things we have, we have different activity stations throughout the event, but one E one activation station is sponsored by local, animal cre, cremation co cremation company. Excuse me. And, it's an honor wall just to honor the pets that we have lost. So you'll definitely be featuring patches there. and, lastly, I would just ask, is there anything that you would like to say? I know she would say thank you to you, but is there anything that you would like to say to patches Oh yeah. I think I would just say thank you, to her, just because of what, like I never thought, I love my dog. I had growing up as a child, but I never even thought of how much love and. Just love I had for a dog. I never thought I could, not that I don't have the capacity to love, but never thought I would have this level of love. Her, like when she died I was just like, like I grieve for a long time. I was kind of ashamed of that. I have a cousin who was so beautiful. I'm so thankful for her She sent me a card and flowers and I thought, thank you. she really, Understood. I was really, thankful for that. I just remember that. Thank you for sharing about patches. Yeah. Thank you so much.