WHO IS WILLIE AND WHY IS HE A HERO?

Willie is a charismatic, affectionate, little dog. Perhaps a miniature poodle-mix, he has a squat body and a neck that is wider than his head, but he has a beautiful plumed tail and unforgettable twinkling brown eyes.
In 1994, Willie was on "death row" at an animal shelter in Kansas City. A friend of mine asked me for help in saving this dog from certain death. I hurried to reach the shelter prior to closing time, expecting to find a healthy poodle (my friend's description). What I found was a shock. I discovered a pathetic looking creature. The "death row" poodle was completely shaved which accentuated his flat head, stubby ears and long thin tail. He was gaunt and his eyes were incredibly sad. I double-checked the tag number on his cage and sure enough, he was the "poodle" I had come to "save." I wondered if I could love such a homely animal. Then something miraculous happened. Our eyes met and time was suspended as our souls connected. It was if we were lost soul mates who had just been reunited. I said out loud, "Well, I guess you're coming home with me."
For the first several days, I wasn't sure Willie would survive. He was weak from vomiting and diarrhea and his hauntingly forlorn eye said to me "I don't think I can take this anymore. I don't want to get attached to you and have to leave is this real, or will I be sent to 'death row' again?" Our first night together included a midnight trip to the pet hospital. Slowly Willie began to gain strength and his hair started to grow. But he didn't know how to play. With curiosity he would watch Napoleon, my oldest dog, play with his toys. Then one day, Willie gingerly picked up a doll in his mouth and began to shake it from side to side not with enjoyment, but mechanically as if teaching himself how to play. Soon Willie was fetching and shaking toys for sheer fun. Finally, the emptiness in his eyes was replaced with a sparkle. Within weeks, he had become part of my family. Within months he was healthy with soft shiny fur, an elegant feather duster of a tail and a traditional poodle topknot.
Willie had been found near the railroad tracks and the shelter workers had named him after the hobo singer, "Boxcar Willie." The name seemed appropriate, so I christened him "Wilhelm," or affectionately, "Willie." As time went by, I began to realize how fitting his name really was. He is outgoing, happy, and his enthusiasm for life is contagious. Now I say he was named after the great American humorist, Will Rogers, who said he never met a person he didn't like!
In 1996, Willie and I joined a non-profit organization that provides pet assisted therapy to people bound by physical or mental limitations in institutions. After training, Willie and I began a regular schedule of visiting a local psychiatric hospital/dorm for children. The impact Willie had on those struggling children was awesome. One day we met a tiny 9-year-old boy who was immediately drawn to Willie. The boy held Willie on his lap and gave him bear hugs that must have felt imprisoning, but Willie lovingly endured the child's desperate caresses. He took Willie for a walk and then he lay down on the floor and the two romped around like happy young boys. The hospital staff let the boy play longer with Willie than the allotted time. This was most unusual, but the reason was soon clear. Staff members told me that this child had been severely abused and had withdrawn into himself. He was incapable of expressing his feelings openly. Usually, he was very introverted and afraid to touch and be touched by others. Willie had broken through his shell of fear and had given him a few minutes of joy.
It wasn't so long ago that our society considered children like this "throw aways." Similarly, our society stood prepared to extinguish a beautiful dog's life who had the potential to contribute some good to this crazy, mixed up world. Through a stroke of fate, a little dog was spared from death and he has become a great humanitarian. He is Willie, my hero; Willie, the homeless dog that almost died; Willie, a little boy's friend.
In 1998, Willie was awarded the "Pet of the Year" for the state of Missouri for his work in pet assisted therapy.