Elsa was only 4 years old when our rental house burned down. I was at work and my 3 year old was at daycare when I got the call that the house was gone. I rushed home and heard from my neighbors how brave Elsa had frantically scratched at the back door alerting them that she and my other dog Thomas were inside. One very kind man had crawled into the burning house to pull out Thomas who was groggy from the smoke. One of our old kitties died in the fire but without Elsa's determination and strong desire to live, I would have lost her and Thomas.
Elsa was the love of my life and brought joy to us everyday. We had been without a home and lived in all types of terrible situations and still she was my happy girl. Nine months after the fire, she suffocated in a plastic bag of cat food while I was at work - her death really broke my heart. I will never forget my sweet, sweet Elsa.
Shadow Hills, CA
