I’ll never forget the day I found Flea, a gorgeous beagle offered for adoption by BREW (Beagle Rescue Education and Welfare) in northern Virginia. Our dog had just died and I missed canine company. Flea stared at me charismatically from the BREW’s Web site, a look of supreme confidence on his face.
Flea’s foster mom told us she’d found him “flagging down cars” on a country road. It looked like he’d been alone for some time. She’d had him neutered and treated for Lyme disease and heartworms, but couldn’t keep him. Besides her toddler son, Flea’s rescuer had a husband, two dogs, two cats, and two jobs. There was no room for another pet, and Flea needed to be where he could “be the star”.
We quickly learned Flea wasn’t house trained and had serious separation anxiety. Most worrying was the positive heartworm test Flea had when our vet re-tested him. A sharp-eyed veterinary technician called the hospital that treated him for heartworms. He’d only been partially medicated and was never cured of the infestation.
Once Flea was healthy, we adopted MacGregor, another BREW beagle. Although he initially didn’t want to share us, Flea needed a sidekick. MacGregor helped Flea become a wonderful pet.
Flea was famous in our neighborhood. Beagles are known for their musical voices and Flea’s was positively majestic. He sounded like an air horn, but was wonderful with children and always stood quietly when they wanted to pet him.
We moved to Germany in 2007. Upon landing in Frankfurt, my husband and I worried about finding the dogs. We heard Flea’s huge voice and followed the sound to the baggage claim where Flea and MacGregor waited. He was so striking and had such a big voice that he became a conversation piece. Flea helped us meet many Germans.
Months before we left Germany, Flea contracted prostate cancer. Everything I’d read about canine prostate cancer indicated that it killed quickly. Flea survived four months after his diagnosis and came back to America with us. In Atlanta’s airport, we heard Flea baying and easily found him with MacGregor in the baggage claim. He was skinny from cancer, but still had that beautiful voice.
Flea died November 18, 2009. He survived months on his own, heartworms, Lyme disease, and life overseas. Against all odds, he spent six great years with us. We still miss him everyday.