Three and a half years ago Corrie from Westies in Need contacted me and asked if I would take an older dog called Maggie who had just become diabetic. The owners had tried everything to give Maggie her insulin needle, but they were not able to do it.

Giving up Maggie who was eleven at the time was the most difficult thing they had to do. Corrie knew that I had already taken on Buster the year before; he had tri-germinal neuralgia and needed special care. He was on lots of meds and had terrible attacks where he would try to tear at he's face with he's front paws and scream, these attacks were partially controlled with steroids.

Giving Maggie a needle twice a day was going to be a breeze compared to Buster. She arrived in the afternoon and immediately took control of the household. Corrie had asked me if Chris, Maggie's Mom could call us to see if she was OK.

Chris was so upset about giving Maggie up that we decided that an open adoption should be the best option for all of us.

Maggie and Buster got on well, but Maggie was definitely the boss, she would only go on walks with us if we had little biscuits and gave them to her at every junction!!!! We got over the needle problem by giving her a treat every time she had to have one. It got to the stage where she would come to us at 9 am and 9 pm to get her injection.

Both Maggie and Buster were ruled by food, we always knew what time it was in the house, they would gang together to tell us it was meal or treat time.

Earlier this year Busters immune system finally gave out (due to the steroids) and he got a terrible yeast infection, lost all he's hair and got terrible sores. We lost him in February he was almost seven.

After Buster left, Maggie seemed to slow down; she had cataracts and starting to go deaf. In May we thought we had lost her but she rallied, just unable to use her front right leg and went completely deaf. The summer was very quiet as she slowly wound down her life, enjoying the summer lying out in the garden while I weeded or cuddling, or just going from bed to bed to bed (she had four).

Chris and her family came to visit and she seemed to enjoy being with them. We agreed that if Maggie lost her interest in food then that would be the time.

The time came and Maggie left us peacefully at the age of fourteen and a half. Maggie was a very special little lady who touched the hearts of two families who were lucky enough to have her in their lives.

Here is a painting of Maggie that her 1st Mommy made of her. She is an amazing artist and this wonderful tribute will forever hang in both of Maggie's Mommys homes for all to see.