Gabriela's Way
My warmhearted and loving grand daughter Gabriela passed
away in September 2016, only 24 years old. To honor her memory and the legacy she left us, I decided to create Gabriela’s Way. The story of it is that she and her family moved up to the coast to a new place, and Gabriela quickly, because of her love for animals, noticed that in the new town dogs did not wear harnesses. She was used to that from before - we had used harnesses for many years, and she decided to change that - in her own way. She walked much around the town, and she always brought brochures about harnesses with her. When she met a dog and owner she went up to them and handed the owner a brochure with a bright, big smile, and went away. Slowly things started to change, and there were more and more dogs wearing harnesses to be seen. Gabriela passed away, and I decided to start Gabriela’s Way, asking people to promote harnesses, give away harnesses, and continue the process she had done in such a loving way. Many people gave away harnesses, and gave money to shelters for buying harnesses, it was wonderful to see how much was done. Nelis Verhoeven, at Calming Signs in Netherlands, sold a lot of harnesses, and for every 25 they sold, they gave away one in Gabriela’s name. They gave away many ! It made us so happy. 3 years ago I moved up to Gabriela’s town, and I noticed that there were many dogs using harnesses, but not as many as I would wish for. So we also started to promote them. At Hundeland we lend them out, give away as prizes, and people can change them when a dog has grown out of the one he has been wearing. And all dogs visiting Hundeland has to wear a harness - collars not accepted ! One day my daughter and I drove through the town we decided to check, so we counted every dog we saw, and if they had a harness or not. Result: all the dogs we saw that day wore a harness ! There are many ways of promoting harnesses, and Gabriela’s way was maybe the most simple, and charming ! - and it worked. We can all do our part, in our own way, but I wish many, many will do something - Gabriela’s way or not. Thank you each and one of you who make a new dog wear a harness, - and send a little thought to Gabriela and her smile. I do - every time. Turid Grandmother
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Kenzie
One of the last pictures taken of my beloved Kenzie, with the harness given to him by Calming Signs, Netherlands, He got the very first harness with his name on, in that colour, which was new, and with the message that for every 25 harnesses they sold in that colour, one should be given away to some dog who needed it. Till today they have given away 20-30 harnesses ! (do not have the exact number). Thanks for keeping the legacy of Gabriela's Way alive ! Rusty
Rusty from Australia, with the harness given him as part of a deal - harnesses given away as part of Gabriela's Way, after a certain number of harness sold. Lucky Rusty, and thanks to those who keep Gabriela's legacy alive. .....supporting the initiativ Gabriela's Way we are giving her name to the new green coloured harness, and want to donate 1 harness per 25 sold, to a shelter, rescue fond or asylum"
Nelis Verhoeven and Ellen Versteegen, Calming Signs, Netherlands. Donation from [email protected] to the dingoes at Kaarakin Dingoes in Australia. Els Vidts donated leashes of own design.
Here one of the dingoes get the harness fitted ! |
Turid Rugaas [email protected] http://en.turid-rugaas.no