Charlie aka Zip

This is a story about a dog named Zip. It's a story chronicaling his last year on earth. It all began about a year ago. There were 2 Borzoi that were rescued in Iowa and were on their way to Kansas City with wonderful people named Clif and Carla. Clif and Carla decided to keep the female and named her Skyia. Zip was sent on to another home. After a short time Zip was accused of being aggressive to the dogs of his new home and Zip was given away to another home. Apparently Zip escaped, or was kicked out of his newer home and ended up being captured by Animal control and sent to a shelter. A kind lady saw him there and contacted another person named Randy who was the dad of another NBRF Borzoi to come and look at him and see if National Borzoi Rescue Foundation would want to take him in their rescue group. They did and Zip was rescued again but no one knew it was Zip. They thought it was just another Borzoi that needed to be rescued. They didn't know his name, age or anything else about him. Randy picked him up for NBRF and then contacted me, Craig, to see if I could take him until a suitable foster home could be found. It was very unexpected but when I saw him I agreed to be his foster. He was very over weight and had flatulence of the worst possible kind. He had such a sweet old-man face so how could I resist. He ended up being a permanent foster.

A little time passed and I sent a picture to my friends, Clif and Carla. Bear in mind, at this time no one knew who he was. Clif and Carla started asking me different questions about him, some that I thought were a little odd but I dismissed it. They did more research and let me know that I had Zip, the dog who they homed earlier in the year. So, he had a name and birthdate. I had named him Charlie but he seemed to respond better to Zip so it stayed Zip, Zippy or Zippyboy!

Flash back to early last year...In January I had lost Trinity, my NBRF Borzoi and 2 weeks later I lost Lexi, my greyhound. Clif and Carla had told me about Zip and his sister Skyia and asked if I would be interested in Zip. At the time the loss of my 2 was still too painful. I just wasn't ready, yet. After all of this, I am amazed how Zip still ended up in my home after all he'd been through. What an adventure. I guess it was meant to be from the beginning.

In closing, I'd like to thank NBRF for letting me keep him as a foster. Especially since he was of questionable breeding. Randy, Clif and Carla, the lady that first found him at the shelter but most of all, Liz Duncan, who was my voice of wisdom through it all. I called him the sweet old man. He was. He had that face with deep black eyes. His stare would penetrate to my heart. I loved him and was glad to be his last dad. He was diagnosed a few months earlier with an enlarged heart and at that time I knew the time with him was limited. I am glad it was with me.

Thank you for letting me memorialize him. He really deserves it.

-Craig Walker

Life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone. -John Mellencamp- From NBRF:

Zip started out as "Charlie" when he first arrived in Rescue on 07/15/2019. At that time, he was already quite the senior and while we were never sure of his exact date of birth, it was thought he was born in 2009. Zip was in a animal shelter in Kansas and was not turned in/over by anyone and was not claimed by anyone. Luckily for Zip, NBRF was notified and after a quick call to Craig Walker, Craig was in route to get this senior to foster.

Zip finally had his wonderful life of retirement with Craig and it was decided for both Zip and Craig that he would live his life out there.

We were saddened to learn of Zip's heart failure in March 2020, however he spent his last month the same as he had since July 15, 2019....in Craig's loving home, being spoiled and tempted with wonderful treats to keep him eating, and lots of hugs, pets, and praise.

Zip passed on April 16, 2020.

Thank you Craig for making this boy's life, and his final journey, so much more wonderful