Nieko Driskell

Having found a beautiful male Pit Bull wandering the streets of Austin, a friend and I took him up into my van and began the hours long attempt to find a rescue shelter for him. Unfortunately they were all either unreachable or full up and I did not have the option of taking him home with me, so we finally ended up at the old humane shelter near Town Lake and Mopac. As my husband and I were filling out the paperwork for the Pit Bull, we noticed a young, gorgeous, but underweight red and rust Doberman Pinscher romping around loose behind the counter. Her uncut ears and long graceful tail were flopping about as she ran from one employee to another for attention. We said, "Oh she's cute! What's her story?" And we were told that because she barked at people she was unadoptable, and this was her last day before being euthanized, so they were giving her some special attention. My husband and I, who had recently adopted a 4 month old female Doberman, looked at one another and we both knew we were not going to allow her to be euthanized. So we started the adoption process, and took "Nieko" home with us a few days later, in December of 2009, to meet her new family. Her sister was beside herself with joy at having a canine companion again, Nieko was much better entertainment than us humans and felines. Our dear Nieko proved to be the most respectful, protective, well-minded, loyal, and loving dog we have ever known. We had many wonderful years together. Then she was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy at the age of ten+, and despite all the tests and drugs we threw at her, a few months later she died peacefully in her sleep one night as she slept in her bed beside me. She was a blessing to us throughout her too-short life, and she will be forever loved and terribly missed. I will miss her nose pressed against mine in our loving kisses. I will miss her hoppy, bouncing run. I will miss watching her tear through tennis ball felt with her front teeth. I will miss the way she submarined her muzzle up to her eyeballs when she guzzled water and the drool she left all over the floor. We will all miss everything there is about our precious Nieko Pie.