Col. Potter gave me this special name. As one of the Col.'s kids, I should have gone into foster care, learned manners, been brought up to date on my health care, and then adopted out to live "happily ever after". Instead less than 24-hours after being taken into the Col.'s care, I was sedated, and while being held by a Col. Potter Angel, with tears rolling down her face, I was given the final shot and I crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

Homer was a great storyteller in the Greek Dark Ages. Back then important events and stories were preserved from mouth to mouth and from person to person. No one knows what my story is for sure as I ended up in a shelter with no history. However, from the condition of my body and personality, my story included torture and abuse. I hope you will share this story and pass it along from mouth to mouth and person to person in the hope of saving another Cairn Terrier from a terrible Odyssey.

Homer, was probably a "FREE TO GOOD HOME" newspaper ad, placed by his former owners who were unable to keep him. The original owner THOUGHT Homer would be going to a GOOD HOME, but sadly this does not appear to be the case. Homer came into Col. Potter with absolutely every indication of being used as a BAIT dog…one that is picked up under false pretenses by people who could be your friends or neighbors. The "life" of a BAIT dog is beyond deplorable.

Good natured, family dogs offered for free are picked up for the sole purpose of being used as bait for dogs to "practice" with in illegal dog fighting operations. Illegal dog fighting happens in every state, across the country in out of the way areas where huge sums of money are bet on what dog will be the last to die. Homer, as the vet told us, came with multiple scars and a missing ear. More important than the physical scars, he came to us with a damaged personality, one that could NOT be fixed, no matter how long he spent in foster care. He had been taught to fight, and he had been taught to hate humans. It was the only way he could survive.

BAIT dogs are usually much smaller, with terriers a popular choice because of their feisty temperament. The only exercise BAIT dogs receive is when they are turned loose in a ring with other dogs who are being trained to fight. BAIT dogs are overpowered by the other dogs, and have no alternative but to fight in order to survive. The BAIT dog is battered, cut and bleeding, but if still alive, is kept to repeat the process over and over. There is no medical care, little food or water and certainly no human care or compassion shown towards the BAIT dog. The once good natured, family dog has learned the only way to survive is to fight and attack anything that comes near him.

HOMER was thought to be about 2 years old. While the fight dogs didn't actually kill Homer, being their bait did. Homer is now at peace, no longer having to fight to survive … he has Crossed to the Rainbow Bridge where all dogs are happy and safe.

The great bard Homer repeatedly used honor and virtue or greatness in his stories as a means of achieving morally your greatest potential. The reward for great honor and virtue is fame, guaranteeing meaning and value to one's life. Dying without fame was generally considered disastrous. Because of HOMER, hopefully the lives of other Cairn Terriers will be saved, truly signifying honor and greatness.

FOR HOMER :

You are free now little one to run and play at the bridge. You may not think that you have any friends there, but all your little cousins will be there to surround you into a circle of love as big as the sun. You don't have to cry anymore, and nobody will ever hurt you again. You are safe from all the bad things in the world, and it is now your turn to be a happy little dog. May you be surrounded by peace and love forever and ever. Tears are flowing everywhere for you little one.

Debbie MI

Let us dedicate ourselves, in his honor, and as his lasting Legacy, to help everyone understand why they should NEVER place an add to give their beloved pet "FREE TO A GOOD HOME!"

And let us also vow to be extra-vigilant with our little ones. Here's why: Here in Ohio, dog-nappings became so prevalent that our governor, who is normally maddeningly reluctant to take a stand on ANYTHING, was compelled to convene a commission to study the escalating problem and to issue warnings to the citizenry to try to protect their dogs. Dogs, mainly small purebreds, were being stolen in broad daylight from front yards where they had been left outside alone...either tied up, "protected" by electronic fencing, or loose. Sometimes they were abducted from BACK YARDS, where it was easy to see them from the street. Again, this was happening in suburban neighborhoods, in broad daylight, with dogs who'd only been outside for a short period of time.

Evidence pointed to the fact that these dogs were being abducted to be used as BAIT in dog fighting, which is very popular in some of the urban and rural areas of this and surrounding states. It was determined that a ring of dog-nappers were stealing these dogs and selling them for a nominal fee to the evil dog fighting rings to be used as bait until they were killed or so badly injured that they were murdered by these monsters.

One woman WATCHED in horror as a car slowed down on her surburban street, a woman jumped out, grabbed her dog who was tied out in their front yard, jumped back into the car and sped off down the street. It became a pattern that more than one dog would be stolen in a neighborhood within a day's time. Some dogs were stolen from yards that were fenced (with regular fencing!) either in the front or the back yard. These monsters were brazen and they were organized.

From that day forward, I wouldn't allow Max to be tied out in our front yard even for ONE MOMENT, unless I was in the front yard with him. This is also another reason to never use electronic fencing...not that any of us need convincing. But it's also a strong warning that we can NEVER let our guard down on our little ones. The thought that my beloved Max would end up in the horror story that little Homer endured is simply more than I can bear.

Let it be Homer's Legacy. As with little lost Loretta, we must learn from these tragedies. And vow that their deaths are not in vain.