Driving into our yard, after a wonderful healing session from a fellow practitioner, I was alarmed to see my husband, Barry, standing beside his vehicle, hands on face with a wretching look of despair. I knew something terrible had occurred. In trepretation, I cautiously stepped out of my car. My husband proclaimed “Jet is dead – Jet drowned“. In shock and grasping as to his words, I gently took him into my arms and said “Oh honey, I am so, so sorry”. Profusely apologizing for Jet, our border collie dying, my husband was in severe distress and I was scared for him.
You see, a few hours earlier, my husband had taken our border collie, Jet, down to her favorite swim site called “3 Mile Beach” north of Penticton in British Columbia, Canada. A favorite off leash beach area and on the other side, a controversial “nude beach”. For one hour Barry played with Jet – in usual routine for the day – throwing her favorite red ball with the ball catcher into the lake, where she would dash and retrieve. And this cycle continued for one hour. When it was time to leave “come on Jet, into the car”, Jet had taken the stance that she was not ready to go home and defiantly jumped into the lake and started swimming out into the open. With no ball ahead of her to entice her, she simply swam.
My husband is yelling “Jet! Jet!” however she turned a deaf ear. Barry started to panic as Jet just continued swimming and not for one second, did she turn her head to acknowledge his call, she just continued swimming further and further out. Barry watched in horror, knowing that he himself, with his recent knee surgery could not jump into the lake to rescue her. He called 911 and fire department, neither of the departments were willing to respond to a request as to a drowning pet. Rescuing animals in not on their list of duties and with no boat in site, the situation was becoming more and more bleak.
Another dog lover named James (picture along side Barry) was with his dog at the beach and now is also panicking. Confirming with Barry, that Jet is not turning around , James starts swimming in attempt to rescue Jet. Barry is now extremely stressed as the situation is not looking favorably and becoming more dire by the moment!. Fear that James may then drown, Barry called out to James to return, it was just too much of a risk to lose a human life upon pursuit to safe Jet. Neither of the men could reach her. Jet was within sight and then out of sight, simply gone within the waves of the lake. No where could she be seen. It was all surriel!
In Barry’s anguish, we made the drive back to “3 mile beach” in pursuit of possibly finding some trace of her, possibly she had returned to the beach and was disorientated. However, no sign of her – Jet was gone and it all happened so quickly! Barry and I were both extremely distraught and grieving throughout the evening.
Early the next morning, we rented a boat in Penticton and searched endlessly for hours along the shoreline for any sign of her body surfacing. Feeling such deep sorry and loss, we were at our end. I did not realize how much I loved this little dog! This loyal, smart, sensitive soul who we have had the opportunity to care for 6 years. To not see her little face every morning, peaking into my bedroom – to make sure that I got up – was so heavy in my heart. Jet’s bond with my husband was divinely created and it frightened and took my breath away, how much pain my husband was holding onto. And how much pain I was holding onto, our hearts were broken –
Fellow dog lover, James, swam into the lake to save Jet and could not locate her – she had dissapeared
After our boating and searching, we returned home to find a card wedged in the door frame. It was from Animal Control in Penticton and they left a phone number. We called and the message was that they were holding a recovered border collie in the lake and to give them a call. A couple named Ken and Bill Miller, were out fishing on the West side of the Okanagan lake and noted some activity – movement on the water. Thinking perhaps there are fish, they decided to move their boat to the location. There they found Jet, in her last breaths, paddling. She had travelled across the lake – east to west and down several miles – in the water for 6.5 hours. Bill dove into the water and rescued Jet. Bill and Karen are our Earth Angels.
Upon retrieving Jet at the Animal Control and being questioned as “responsible owners, leaving a dog in the lake” and not knowing the story and how my husband would never, never, leave her if he had any hope that she was alive – we picked her up. She was traumatized and otherwise seemed ok.
The Animal Control lady suggested we get her checked out at the vet. So, immediately drove her to the Animal Hospital in Penticton- where she was checked out and miraculously, for being in the water for 6.5 hours, no sign of water in her lungs and physically checked out really good. I knew I would have a dog with some emotional trauma, but also knew that with my own work as a healer, I would be able to assist as to releasing the trapped emotions.
We have Jet back, we are all traumatized, in shock and know, without a doubt, that a miracle had just occurred. And for myself, as a healer and working with the Angels every day for my clients, I am extremely grateful for our Angels above and our Earth Angels, Bill and Karen Miller, to watch over Jet, keep her above water and giving us a second chance to cherish, live and not to take for granted for anyone that we love.
Jet is being checked out at the vet in Penticton and given a clean bill of health! what an amazing little dog!!
Reflecting back on this time and what lesson we were meant to learn (as animals are here to teach us) I now know, that Jet was showing us how we need to move ahead – never look back – keep on going and no matter what, persevere, follow our dreams and vision!