She was found a few months ago disoriented and circling around over and over in someone's front yard. Animal Control took her in to see the vet and tried their best with her but she remained highly stressed in her kennel. Prim was sent to us and none of us were sure if SAINTS could help her connect with the world around her. We tried many different things..medications to reduce pain and anxiety, enrichment therapy, giving her a stable and predictable environment where she could feel safe. We tried pushing her limits by going for walks or with time to wander at will in the yard, nothing really worked for her.
We did find she paced less and was more relaxed in the laundry area but that wasn't ideal. She never reached the point where she wanted to be touched or to interact on a personal level with anyone here.
We knew she suffered from liver disease but she did put on weight and her coat became soft and shiny. But she absolutely would not make eye contact with any human or animal, she would not engage in any kind of relationship with any of us over these past few months.
Was she in the deep unreachable regions of K9 cognitive dysfunction? Were her liver enzymes too high and affecting her brain? Did she have a brain tumor? Or had she spent her entire life walking in a circle upon a chain? Was that all she knew so that even once the chain was gone, the chain still enslaved her brain?
We don't know. We knew she was very old, we knew she walked in circles, we knew she preferred pasta to any kind of dog food, we knew she did not like to be touched, that she needed to keep aimlessly moving until she was ready to lay down for very long and relaxing naps. But we did not know who Prim was inside herself except she was old, weary, and all alone in her heart.
There was no real reason to help her pass today, she was not in physical distress. We weren't even sure she was emotionally stressed because even tho she continually circled, she seemed peaceful and calm.
But Prim had no joy in her life, not one moment in the day where her spirit sparked up with light. We don't know if she was horribly abused, horribly neglected or horribly ignored. We don't know if her brain wasn't functioning and she was just existing moment to moment, endlessly circling thru time.
Today we set her free, our hope for Prim had been sinking and it was time to admit defeat.
I don't know if Prim knew we loved her, but all of us did love her and we truly hope she is now resting in peace.
Goodbye sweet Primrose - you were a special girl ❤️