A tribute to a Heroic Dog
Our Tybee friends Dave and Sandi shared some sad news with us. Dave’s guide dog Acme was put to rest because of rapidly developing very bad health. Dave and Sandi are very eloquent in their public and private lives and here is what they shared with us about Acme.
The first day I brought him home from Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California, on August 16, 1998, we took him to a large store in Springfield, Illinois. Acme was energetically leading me down a main aisle with Sandi at my side. As we reached an aisle intersection an older couple shopping to our right, noticed him and the woman said with some fervor, “Oh, Fred. Look at that gorgeous animal!” I replied without hesitation, “Thank you, Ma’am and what do you think of my dog?” Her response just as quick was, “Men!!!”.
Wanting to show him off to Sandi, we went into the center court of the mall and I told Sandi to watch what Acme does in taking me to an elevator. I asked him to do so, he not only took me to the elevator, but took me to the side where the push buttons were located. What a dog!
On at least three occasions Acme drug me out of the path of three left turning vehicles, one in California, one in Springfield, IL and one on Tybee Island.
Once again, What a dog!
For these deeds he received the Georgia Hero Dog of the Year award in the spring of 2005 from the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association.
Sandi and I believe that God made some angels with four paws and I believe that Acme ranks right up there with Gabriel. After all his name, Acme, means “top-most, pinnacle or best”.
Lord, he will be missed. ”
