Spirit the Cemetery Dog drew people to her, both before and after her dramatic rescue.
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Despite being terrified of humans, the gentle blond German shepherd that was ‘haunting’ Greenwood Cemetery for at least six months back in 2012 and early 2013, had cemetery workers and community supporters feeding and worrying about her, even though no one could get close enough to capture her.
Last Friday, Spirit took one last visit to Greenwood Cemetery with her pet parents before being taken to the veterinarian’s office to be euthanized.
“She couldn’t get out of the car but we wanted her to see it one last time,” said Rick Mannen who, with his wife Josie, seemed to be destined to be Spirit’s family.
After the dog was seen roaming the nearby train tracks in 2013 and every treat, trap and temptation to capture her had failed, Spirit was shot with a tranquilizer gun, arranged in partnership by the Brant SPCA and Hillside Kennels.
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At the SPCA, her bleeding paws healed and workers helped socialize Spirit, setting her up in an outside run, despite the February chill, because she hated being indoors.
Former Brantford mayor Chris Friel spotted Spirit on several walks through the cemetery, telling his wife he saw a “ghost dog,” and urging the Mannens to adopt her, which they finally did.
“It was like he knew we were destined to adopt this precious girl,” says Josie.
As the Mannens visited Spirit at the SPCA, the timid dog would stand on her hind legs to give Rick a bear hug and the emotional timing – despite the recent death of Josie’s mom, serious brain surgery for Rick and a new litter of 15 puppies from a Labrador they were breeding – seemed right.
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Spirit stepped in to fill a void in the family they didn’t know needed filling.
“It wasn’t easy at first. She had trust issues and, probably for a good year, wouldn’t come in the house,” says Rick.
“We couldn’t even pet her when we first got her,” adds Josie. “It took her a few years of work to trust us.”
Eventually though, Spirit became a perfect part of the family, going on runs with Rick, enchanting visitors, helping raise funds for the SPCA and spending hours watching the Treehouse channel on TV.
When the Mannens’ yellow Labrador had to be put down, Spirit immediately took that dog’s place, sleeping beside Josie.
In March, 13-year-old Spirit began to have seizures and, despite medical help, the attacks were becoming more frequent, taking a toll on her.
“She was getting weaker and would come to me an put a paw out as if to say ‘I’m ready’,” says Josie.
Rick and Josie escorted her on the last tour of the cemetery where her story began, and then said their tearful goodbyes at the vet’s.
“You could say she saved us as much as we saved her,” said Rick.
@EXPSGamble
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