Sweet Jasmine came into my life in a very unexpected way. I worked with rescue dogs at the time with Recycled Love Rescue, but I never imagined that I would adopt one of the victims of the Michael Vick case.
Board member and friend Karen Reese asked me to talk with Rebecca Huss, who was the attorney assigned to determine the fate of the dogs. I spoke briefly with her on the phone and was told about one of the dogs who was so scared that they had to put a little tent inside her kennel so she could hide. I was intrigued by this dog’s story. I met her the following day.
At the time my kids were still pretty young, so I arranged care for my daughter while my son was in school and headed to the Washington Animal Rescue League in DC, where the dogs were being boarded. I was not really expecting what I saw that day. There were a lot of people and I was greeted very warmly by Rebecca and the staff at WARL.
Members of Bad Rap were there as well as several people from Best Friends Sanctuary evaluating the dogs. Afterward I discovered that I was among some very important people.
I was able to see many of the dogs and watch videos of how they were temperament tested by the country’s best behaviorist. For some reason all I wanted was to meet Sweet Jasmine. As we neared her cage a doctor from Best Friends Sanctuary along with Garcia, the now famous trainer, were about to take Jasmine out of her kennel. The doctor decided not to take her out because she was too scared. That was when I asked for permission to go into her cage and visit with her.
As I entered her cage, I remained very calm and just sat there not looking at her and not getting very close to her. I just stared at the wall. From time to time I would glance in her direction, and I noticed her looking at me but then she would look away. She mostly just laid there motionless. I decided at that moment to help this dog.
I asked the attendants if we could take her outside. I knew she was scared but I needed to see how she would react to another dog and to people outside of her kennel since I was planning to bring her home to a house with two young children and other animals. Jasmine did’t move, she was a brick. The attendant picked her up and carried her outside. He put her down on the ground and she just laid there all curled up, completely still. It seemed like she wished the ground would swallow her up. I asked the attendants if we could bring another dog out. I needed to see for myself that she was not reactive. They brought out another of the Vick dogs. Sweet Jasmine’s response was amazing. She actually stood up and her eyes opened up and she displayed a sense of joy or comfort when she saw the other dog. It was like she started to breathe for the first time. I was positive I wanted to take Jasmine home with me. I didn’t think of the consequences or of anything except helping this beautiful dog. I just had a really strong feeling that she would end up with me.
A few days later I went back to WARL to bring Jasmine home with me. That was where our journey began. From then on I dedicated every part of my soul to working with Jasmine. She became another one of my kids. We had a new baby in our family. But this baby did not talk, did not laugh, did not cry, she still basically did nothing but hide in her crate. I had to carry her outside to potty and she remained brick like. I had to go inside and close the door so she could pee. After she was done, she would run and hide near the fence in the yard. I would go outside and again pick her up to bring her back inside where I’d put her back in her room. She would go straight into her crate. I left the crate’s door open since she wouldn’t even flinch.
As time passed I sought help from a behaviorist who eventually taught me a lot while working with Jasmine. Although Jasmine did like her food, she wouldn’t eat in front of me—she would only eat after I left the room. On the behaviorist suggestion, I started hand feeding Jasmine by teaching her through target training. I had a target pole and a clicker. Every time she touched the pole with her nose, I clicked and rewarded her with food. As you can imagine, feeding time took a while, so I would get up really early to do this before my kids woke up. The change I saw in Jasmine was incredible. In only a few weeks she began to anticipate me coming and she would actually get out of her crate to meet me and we would target train in her room. Target training allowed me to put a leash on her and I even began to get her outside without picking her up.
As months passed we would walk through the yard with Jasmine on her leash alongside the other dogs who made her feel more comfortable. One day I decided we would take our walk outside of the fenced yard. She was scared but followed the target and the other dogs and away we went. It was the first time Jasmine had stepped into the outside world and boy was there a lot to smell. We stopped every few steps to smell something, and from then on Jasmine started loving her walks and sniffing everything around her.
I started bringing my daughter into Jasmine’s room while target training and then taught my daughter, Anais, how to work with her. Jasmine would touch Anais’s hand as the target and then I would feed her. It was really sweet.
Later on Jasmine was able to play with the other dogs in the yard. She especially had a liking for Desmond, a three legged mixed breed that we had also rescued. Desmond and Jasmine did everything together. They played in the yard, dug for bones, laid to sunbathe on the deck, you name it. I remember one day as I was petting her and kissing her as I always did—she kissed me back. I still remember how she would look at me with those attentive eyes that said so much. I often sang to her and she loved that.
Jasmine had really became a very intense part of my life. I spent so many hours working with her every day—but it really was not work—I loved being with her. Going to her room to work with her was my sanctuary, it was where I found myself and felt completely whole, completely loved, just like I did with my children. It was very powerful because Jasmine did not speak, she did not ask for anything, she just really wanted to be loved and have some food. God, I adored her.
When Jasmine died it really did not sink in. It took a long time for me to really mourn for her. For some reason I saw her all the time in nature. She became this bird that I frequently saw. I decided to get a tattoo on my shoulder so i could carry her with me everywhere I went while I was here on this earth. I guess this is how I deal with death. Just like with my grandmother. I miss her, but I know I will see her again. I truly believe with every single piece of my being that I will see Jasmine again when its my turn to go. If I did not believe this, I really don’t think that I would make it in this world.
After Jasmine’s death I went through a divorce and my life changed dramatically.
My partner, Kate Callahan, and I decided to form Jasmine’s House Inc. in memory of Sweet Jasmine. Our every day is spent raising our family and working with rescue dogs. One day we will have a sanctuary for dogs like Jasmine who are not lucky enough to start off in good homes. This has become our mission in life.
Jasmine has touched me in a way that has really affected my entire being. This rescue means the world to us because of her, and because of the amazing people and animals we meet. It is a way of life. I would not want to live any other way.
Thank you my Sweet Jasmine. Until we meet again…