Ginger

Ginger Marie 'Laveau' Leboef, an (at least) 19 year-old mixed breed Spaniel from Pottawattomie County Oklahoma, left this world July 17, 2001, Bradenton, Florida.

Ginger was discovered in the Shawnee, Oklahoma pound and brought many smiles and tears to her adopted owners. Her earliest years were a mystery but she suffered from "Orphan Syndrome" until the day she died - a malady described by the vet as her belief there would "never be enough food." An X-Ray taken in her later years also revealed that some Oklahoma ass had shot her with buckshot - which she also carried to her grave.

Ginger was a talented huntress, tracker and 'bird dog.' She had been in her new home with Pat and Andrea only seconds before performing a perfect point and then grabbing up a 3-foot tall parakeet cage - with parakeet - and proceeding to run throughout the house shaking the cage in her mouth. Over the years she 'honored' us with countless moles, frogs, gophers, an opossum, birds and snakes. She was also a consummate fly catcher, resulting once in an emergency room visit when the fly turned into a bee!

Ginger Marie Leboef was so named as a reflection on her Brittany (France) Spaniel roots. She picked up the 'Laveau' - in honor of the New Orleans VooDoo queen Marie Laveau - after killing a huge Oklahoma red squirrel, which she repeatedly buried, dug up, and carried around to freak out neighbors and visitors.

Ginger had many adventures with various canine pals, including Gretta Nadine, JJ, Misty, Sammy and Molly. In her younger days if she was moving at all, she was running (sometimes with laundry on her head!) She loved to dig a hole under the fence in Shawnee big enough to spring her Irish Wolfhound buddy Molly so that they could go chase cows in the adjoining field. She loved to chase those cows - outrunning Molly - with her ears flying and tongue hanging out of her smile.

Ginger also loved New Orleans, particularly the cab drivers and the Sunday jazz brunches. The famous Beaded Mime there created a bead collar for her with a tiny bead dog in its center. She also had her portrait painted at Jackson Square.

Ginger served her family well as a guard dog, cat chaser (to the chagrin of KiKi, the family cat), and faithful companion. We believe she has gone to the Rainbow Bridge, where beloved fur friends go to run and play awaiting the time they will be reunited with their family for eternity. She is loved and missed.

Ginger is survived by Pat and Andrea, her adopted father Jerry, Boomer and KiKi. If you would like to honor her memory PLEASE adopt an animal from your local shelter or pound.

(If you too are grieving the loss of a pet there is a very supportive website at www.petloss.com)