By Emily Lawson
The Herald Bulletin
EDGEWOOD — It’s been over a year since Edgewood resident RuthAnn Collins lost her beloved dog Butch.
The events that unfolded are very much alive in her memory, but she hasn’t let that stop her from inviting a new four-legged friend into her home.
Collins’ months of anguish began more than a year ago, Nov. 4 to be exact.
She went on a trip, leaving her dachshund, Butch, in the care of her sister.
With just days to go until Collins was to be reunited with her furry friend, Butch went missing — fleeing from the backyard of her sister’s home in Anderson.
“I’m still not sure why he did that. It’s really strange,” Collins said. “It wasn’t like he was in a weird place. I don’t know why he left her yard. He never used to do that.”
Strange or not, the 14-year-old dog wandered out of the yard, never to be seen again; alive, that is.
Earlier this year, Collins was presented with her pet’s remains by a person who had heard she was looking for Butch.
“I kept an ad in the paper from November up until March, when he was brought to me. ... I was pretty sure it was him,” Collins recalled.
Her story was told in The Herald Bulletin as she, like most owners, would struggle with the loss of a pet.
Though tragic, Collins didn’t go down the typical griever’s path. Instead, she took another animal under her wing, a Chihuahua mix named Skippie.
“He’s about six years old,” said Skippie’s Chesterfield veterinarian, Dr. Allan Baker. “RuthAnn first brought him to us in March of this year. He’s really a wonderful little guy and healthy, too.”
He may be healthy, but don’t forget scandalous. The dog, previously a stray, had his own share of adventures before he warmed up to Collins. He too fled, leaving the dog lover feeling defeated.
“He was out in the yard one day and I told everyone, keep an eye on Skippie. Of course, he’s a tiny little thing and he just escaped right there under the fence,” Collins said. “I was just thinking here we go again, but then I really thought about it and I said if he’s my dog, he’ll come back.”
Fortunately for Collins, he did.
“It was about 3 o’clock in the morning and I was laying in bed. All of a sudden I heard something over by the doggie door, then it was his little paws on the floor. He hopped right up into bed with me. I knew right then he was my dog. We haven’t had any problems since then. He’s just the sweetest thing and a lot more playful than Butchie was.”
Since Skippie’s escape, his caretaker has been more choosy about where he lays his head. This summer Collins was South Carolina bound and opted for a different place for the young pup to stay. Collins sought out Pam Stevens, owner of Bone Appetit Bed & Breakfast: Boarding for Dogs, 8450 W. 575N near Middletown.
This time, Skippie didn’t escape. He seemed to be on his best behavior, Stevens said.
“I didn’t have a bit of trouble with him. I usually remember the ones that give me trouble, and he didn’t give me a bit of it. He did really well. He loved it here. He’s really a good dog.”
“Good” might be an understatement. The term “uplifting” seems more fitting.
“I remember RuthAnn sitting here, we were doing a consultation, and she shared that with me about losing the other baby. It was very sad but she loves little Skippie, and she’s a very good owner. She was devastated over that, and I felt for her,” said Stevens.
“But I know Skippie is helping mend that, helping take the sting away.”
