Misty’s story is one of love, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between a family and their dog. It all began when Misty, a sweet little English Setter puppy who happened to be born deaf, was surrendered by her original owners when she was 3 1/2 months old. They didn’t want her because they felt that she would be unable to hunt due to her inability to hear.
Fate had better plans for Misty. She found her way into the loving care of her Southwest English Setter Rescue (SWESR) foster mom, Sherry. Sherry is a kind and caring woman with a heart of gold who would train and care for Misty until she could find her forever family.
At the same time Misty entered rescue, Jeanie and her girls, Anna and Vera, were looking for a dog to join their family. Used to a large menagerie of animals—the family at various times has had cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits, llamas, and horses happily cohabitating on acreage along the midcoast of Maine—they were down to three dogs in the house, and it just felt empty. Jeanie had done extensive research on English Setters, and she loved that the breed is not only active but also family-oriented. Far from being a deficit, Misty’s deafness was almost a selling point, as the entire family felt she was destined to be with them. Jeanie and her girls knew they could provide the special home this pup needed to flourish.
They drove from Maine to Pennsylvania to pick up Misty, and it was clear from the moment they laid eyes on her that Misty was meant to be in the family. They would protect her from all harms, and from the moment the car was on the road back to Maine, Misty knew this, too. Sweet and trusting Misty curled up in Jeanie’s lap in the middle seat of the car, her little body relaxing into the rhythm of the ride as the journey to her new life began.
Misty was a bundle of energy, bounding around with excitement, eager to run, to play, to explore. Anna, who was then 13, spent hours outside with Misty. They played fetch with a soft frisbee, and they chased each other through the yard until both were breathless. Even after dark, Anna and Misty would run under the stars, a blur of joy until they both collapsed, exhausted, on the couch. At night Misty would crawl up onto Anna’s bed, curl up next to her, and drift off to sleep, her little body full of love and contentment.
As Misty grew, so did her spirit. She was sassy and loving, always bringing laughter into the home. As much as the family had hoped all difficulties were behind her, in 2021, when Misty was nine, the dog who had once been so full of life became frail and weak. She had aways had a sensitive stomach, but her diarrhea was now intractable, and she lost interest in food. Antibiotics did nothing to help her. Misty’s beautiful coat thinned, and she lost so much muscle mass that deep wounds appeared on her shoulders from the weight loss. To say Jeanie and her girls were worried was an extreme understatement, but Misty’s ill health hit Anna the hardest. Anna and Misty were closer than best friends—they were FAMILY—and Anna wouldn’t give up on her without a fight.
Blood work and tissue samples from a specialist vet confirmed that Misty had a syndrome called Protein-Losing Enteropathy (PLE), which is a condition that causes the loss of protein from the gastrointestinal tract due to intestinal problems. Even with a diagnosis and powerful treatments from the veterinary professionals, Misty kept declining. The terrible day came when a vet suggested it might be time to say goodbye. The family was devastated.
Anna herself was dealing with some medical concerns at this same time. As she gently placed Misty in the car after this conversation, she looked into Misty’s eyes. Their bond runs deep, and Misty clearly communicated to Anna “I am not ready to let go. I support you, and you support me. Let’s keep fighting.”
So they did. They kept fighting, all of them. For well over a year, every day Anna put medication on Misty’s wounds, bandaged and wrapped them, and kept her comfortable. Misty couldn’t lay on any hard surface, so the family bought foam pads, the kind you might find in a children’s indoor play area, and placed these pads throughout the house. They changed her diet to one where the protein came from a vegetable source rather than animal sources. She was unable to climb the stairs to Anna’s bedroom, so for over a year Anna slept on the sofa downstairs with Misty alongside her. They spent hours together on the soft sofa, with Anna ensuring Misty had the rest she needed. She tended to Misty with love and patience.
Slowly, Misty began to recover. Her fur grew back, curly this time, rather than straight, and its texture is different (now it’s finer and mats easily). The little pup who had once been abandoned for something she couldn’t control grew into a symbol of resilience, love, and the unshakable bond between her and her forever family. Despite all the hardship, Misty had always known one thing: she was loved. And she loved right back, every day, with indefatigable and positive English Setter personality.
Misty has been healthy for many years, if a little less active than she once was. She is still happy to go out for a walk, then come back and play with the cats, or sleep with them, either is good! She wags her tail a lot. She is full of life, and she retains her sassy, sweet personality. Despite this, due to an untreatable cardiac condition, it is clear she is in her final chapter. Her family holds fast to this quote “Be grateful for this moment, because this moment is your life.”
Misty’s presence is a reminder of the strength and power of pure, unconditional love. She may have started her life without a physical voice, but she communicates in a language of love that speaks louder than words ever could. Through every challenge and through every moment of joy, this family’s bonds were cemented firmly together.
Misty’s story is hers uniquely and it is ours globally. From the tireless work of every SWESR volunteer through to each SWESR dogs’ forever family, we learn that even the smallest, most delicate beings can exert an extraordinarily powerful force in our lives, teaching us lessons of love and perseverance that last a lifetime.