Zaoa vom Kerschberger-Wienerau

So here it goes: I'd always had kept this name in mind to one day assign it to that one special doggie. That day came when I brought into this world that "Z" litter of Zuni and Hummel on November 13, 2002. I assigned names with the ribbons at random without thinking about it early on. I picked the littlest girl of that litter purely because she pooped on my shoe when I picked her up and I simply thought that was appropriate as the ferret I had the pleasure to have in my life had done the same. It happened to be Zaoa who'd dunnit...

I could never figure out what that name should mean, as I conjured it up in my mind. Well, here comes the National Sieger Show in Bakersfield, California and I, the rookie, decide to go for the heck of it. I took Zuess and his sister Zaoa and Zuni, their dad. (for protection)

Two friends of mine came with us as well, but in a separate car. We arrived exhausted at 11:30PM in Bakersfield and I was careful to inspect the parking lot first before I let out Zuni and his pups.

I heard Zaoa bark up a storm and turned around to see why and said to her: "you are barking at your own shadow silly girl, quit it" as the light from behind her reflected over to the other side of the embankment of the irrigation ditch which cut through the hotel's property.

I turned back into the car to grab the bucket of dog food and her barking stopped.

in the middle of the night. I called 911 who blew me off as a stabbing is more important than a lost dog. I got lost in Bakersfield and low and behold a cop turned up who had heard of the call, but couldn't help me other than sending me back to the hotel. The canal got interrupted and there were parts where I could not go on foot or by car. I asked them where does it lead to? They didn't know that either... At least I got back after several hours of searching and trying.

I got a batch of negativity from my friends who said it was unlikely she'd survive such a swim down that canal. But, I refused to believe that, as Zaoa is raised at 6400 Elevation and Bakersfield is nada.

I looked over for her where she'd been and she was gone. I starting holloring her name immediately going into panic mode "ZaaOhhahhhh" and she didn't come to me, which she would have normally.

My friends looked as stunned as I did and I said "She went down into the canal or she'd be right here" They wouldn't believe me.

I completely freaked out when I took a closer look at the speed of that irrigation ditch. Now, mind you, that entire ditch was fenced pretty securely and I never thought that she would be going thru it!

I completely lost it when I realized how fast that water was going, it was like white water rafting!!! I put this little bundle into this world, nr 9 of the litter....

This canal is completely fenced throughout the city of Bakersfield and runs parallel to H street. I didn't know that then, and needless to say I got in my car drove along side it and getting out of the car and walked along the ditch myself holoring her name

That day, the fourth, was the day of the show. I went ONLY because i didn't want to disappoint Mario, who owns Zanta of the Z litter, and was there, and Christine who was going to handle the pups in the ring.

Funny how, something like a disaster, can change everything and push the importance level down to nothing of 'how nice are these puppies' looks anyway'.... I totally lost interest. She was back, who cares ... Yet, she placed TENTH in the country ;) in the 3-6 months age group.

I had told Christine earlier that those fences IF she survived the currents, would save her life, as H street has extreme traffic and she would have been hit by a car or gotten lost wandering around...

I couldn't stop thanking him and I cried the remainder of the night, as now the reality really hit me of how close a call this had been. I didn't sleep a wink, just looked at Zaoa and cried and cried. Afraid that if I'd go to sleep she'd be gone and this was all a bad joke my mind was playing on me. Separation Anxiety is what that is...

The next morning Christine and Linda were as stunned as could be expected. "Miracles", I said, "do happen indeed..."

her unusual name has meaning now...

April 6th, 2003

Zaoa means Miracle, I finally figured that out.....

First this name was already very special to me, since it came to me when I was 17, trying to come up with a name for a short story I was assigned to write in class. (The story received the highest grade later on, a miracle by itself ha ha ha)

Niagara Falls is nothing compared what I was able to produce that moment... That poor officer must have thought some nutcase was on the phone (true) and he asked me if I was able to come to the front desk to meet him to give me the dog back.

ABLE? geese, on my bare bleeding knees in reverse!!! No problem and I ran off to the front desk with towels in my hands.

When that angel of an officer brought her out of his car I fell to my knees and thanked him so loudly that I probably woke the hotel guest. I couldn't stop crying.

He had AFTER his 1am shift ended, gone on his own time, to look for the pup! UNbelievable. So, it took him 2 1/5 hours to find her and he didn't give up! THAT is simply awesome and I'm still awestruck by that man and his gorgeous jet black German Shepherd. (Because he knows USA German Shepherd Judge Johanness Grewe)

That added oxygen will give her the needed stamina to survive it. It was quite late when I returned to the hotel with one of my friends. After a 16 hour drive from NM and the adrenaline of the loss of Zaoa, I was not going to get sleep. I intended to put a full page ad in the Bakersfield paper with a $1000 reward if she didn't turn up when I got out to look for her at daybreak.

I was ready to make a deal with the devil for her return and must have driven the angels crazy with my repeating of one phrase which pretty much still must be ringing in their ears.

At 3:30 am the phone rings, but I couldn't get to it in time. So I listened to the message and I called the POLICE station back where the answering officer told me that a K9 officer had found my dog. First I didn't believe him, and I was finally crying uncontrollably.....