Millie’s Tail(Timothy Lanham) Millie’s Tail
A couple of days before Hurricane Ian, Wendy and I flew home from Colorado, where we had been visiting our best friends, Kay and Roger. We needed to get home to prepare for the hurricane, and, sadly, our faithful dog Cassie’s tumor in her mouth had worsened.
As soon as we arrived, we took Cassie to the vet, where we received the heartbreaking news: there was very little hope for any quality of life left for her. We had to make the gut-wrenching decision to put her down. I don’t need to tell you how hard that was. I’ll share more about Cassie’s history in another story, but for now, it’s enough to say she left a big hole in our hearts.
Fast forward six months—Wendy said it was time to look for another dog. Our son and his family, who had been living with us since Hurricane Ian destroyed their house, had finally moved out with their dog, Rosco. They bought a new home and were settled, leaving our house much quieter. Wendy spent hours each day browsing all the dog rescue sites, calling and emailing about dogs. We visited many rescue centers, but we just couldn’t find the right match. It seemed like all the dogs available for adoption were either Pitbulls or Chihuahuas.
Then one day, Wendy came across a dog named Katarina. She looked like a smaller, short-legged version of Cassie! Wendy immediately called the rescue center, left a message, and emailed them. When there was no answer the next day, Wendy tried again—calling, emailing, and even texting the rescue facility. Still, no reply came, so we continued our search for our future dog.
Weeks later, as Wendy and I were driving home from another rescue location in Naples, Florida, Wendy’s phone rang. I listened as I drove.
“Yes, I remember inquiring about Catarina,” Wendy said cautiously, expecting the usual disappointment. She thought the caller was about to say, “Catarina has already been adopted, but we have another dog you might like…”*
But the story the woman told us was something else entirely.
Apparently, Catarina had been adopted out to a woman who lived on Florida’s east coast. While driving home with Catarina, the woman stopped halfway along Alligator Alley, the stretch of highway that runs through the Everglades, to let Catarina relieve herself. At that point, she decided to change Katarina’s collar to a new one—a pretty pink rhinestone-studded collar. As soon as the collar was on, Catarina pulled out of it and bolted.
The woman tried to chase her, calling for help from others nearby, but their efforts only made Catarina run faster. Within moments, she had disappeared into the Everglades.
Frantic, the woman searched and called for Catarina for over an hour before notifying the rescue agency. The rescue center quickly dispatched an employee with a heat-sensing drone, but by the time they arrived an hour later, there was still no sign of Catarina.
For an entire week, Catarina survived alone in the Everglades, fending for herself against alligators, pythons, and cougars while scavenging for food. Finally, someone was able to coax her to safety and took her to a place where her microchip was scanned. The rescue agency was notified, and they brought her back to safety.
After a few days of rest and recovery, the rescue center administrator found Wendy’s persistent messages and contacted her.
Well, it didn’t take us long to grab a kennel, load it into the car, and head over to see Catarina. When we arrived, they were grooming her. Wendy and I took a quick peek at her, and I turned to Wendy with a smile.
“I guess we’re taking her home,” I said.
Wendy looked back at me and said, “I think so…but we’re going to have to change her name! Can you imagine calling out, ‘Here, Cat!’ That just won’t work.”
Once we got Catarina home, all the kids and grandkids came over to meet her. Our daughter-in-law Katie looked at her thoughtfully and said, “You should name her Millie. You have a cat named Trumper—and Trump’s wife’s name is Melania. Millie for short!”
And so, Millie it was.
Millie has turned out to be an exceptional dog—loyal, loving, and, okay, maybe a little barky. Wendy and I feel like Millie was a gift from God, sent to fill the hole Cassie left in our hearts.
We will always remember Cassie. But Millie? Millie is our new blessing—a reminder that even after loss, there can be love again.

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