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WALKING WITH THE SHADOW OF LOVE by Margo Bowblis

WALKING WITH THE SHADOW OF LOVE

The Remarkable Story of Lakota and The Zeakie Dog

by Margo Bowblis

Pub Date: April 12th, 2014
ISBN: 978-1619562035
Publisher: Animal Soul Affirmations

A heart-wrenching debut memoir exploring the boundaries of love and the effects of loss.
When Margo Bowblis lost her beloved black lab, Santana, she developed a severe allergic reaction to all animals, especially dogs; it affected her health for the next 20 years. Finally, after retiring from her career as an art teacher, and with encouragement from family and friends (as well as permission from her doctor), Margo adopted a Labrador puppy whom she named Lakota, a Native American word for “friend.” Margo and Lakota attended classes for him to become a therapy dog. After he passed his American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Test, they began to visit various facilities to give hands-on treatment for patients who embraced the unconditional love of “rapid fire kisses,” soft fur and a wagging tail. “I particularly enjoyed visiting seniors who had pets their whole lives,” Margo says, “and now were in assisted living or nursing homes with no animals, and deeply missed them.” One day, Margo met her friend Brian’s puppy, Zeak, and felt a profoundly close connection to him. When Brian’s life took an unexpected turn and he needed to find a home for Zeak, Margo adopted him immediately. The dogs bonded quickly, and Zeakie Dog joined Margo and Lakota on patient visits. It was a blissfully happy period in their lives, until one morning, Margo discovered what appeared to be “huge, golf-ball-sized lumps all over [Zeakie’s] face.” At 2 years old, Zeakie was diagnosed with cancer. Margo writes with deep conviction about her commitment to Zeakie, their desperate journey and her tireless research into every possible resource available—chemotherapy, homeopathic treatments, organic food remedies, etc.—as she and Zeakie began a desperate race against time. Throughout their battle, Margo fully committed herself to providing the highest quality of care for her dog, eventually bringing their connection to a higher spiritual level.
A touching testimonial for animal lovers who’ve experienced deep connections with their pets.