Tereo: A Dog's Story It was one of those cold gray Minnesota days. Snow snake weaved their blurred patterns in front of my car's wheels. I was hurrying home with thoughts of supper on my mind. In the gathering darkness of early evening, I crested a hill. Off to my right ahead in the gloom, something moved. I braked because this was an area where deer were known to blot across the road without warning.   On the side of the road lay an animal. It raised its head and watched me pass with pain filled eyes. It then lowered its' head like it was to much effort to watch me any more. It lay still again. I watched though my mirror telling myself,"' Keep going. You don't need another headache. You don't need to stop. ' Even as I told myself dog looked at me again. From a distance the hopelessness and despair shone in those eyes. I stopped turned around and called myself a fool. I drove close to the dog and as I stop it rose slowly and painfully to its feet. All three of them. The left hind leg was dangling, swollen and uselessly in the bitter February wind.  The dog had been hit by a car or snowmobile and was very badly hurt, yet  it  made no sound as sit  turned and started walking away from me. It was starving with every bone in its' frail body showing. With a hunched back and hopping gait it made it's way up the hill wandering into the middle of the road. I called to the dog and followed. It kept going. Just as well I thought. I needed another dog like I needed a hole in my head. With that thought I watched the dog fall down in the middle of the road and a car come over the hill. I turned on my emergency flashers and waved the car around the dog. It did not move beyond lifting those tired eyes to me.  It was a time for fear and trust for both of us. I feared being bitten by a dog in great pain and the dog of one more encounter with a human. Being this close   I saw \it was a young adult, female Labrador hound mix. As I reached for her she dodged away. Somewhere she had learned when human's lifted their hands pain would follow. I back away. I began a slower approach letting her get use to me being near. In the gathering darkness she began to trust. I helped her to her feet and guided, pushed and pulled her to the car. I got her crest against the front seat and shoved her into the car. I slammed the door and ran to my side. I need not have hurried. She had laid down on the seat facing the heater vent and with a massive sigh of contentment fell asleep. For a moment I thought it had been to much for her and that she had died from the handling to get into the car. At that moment she began to snore.   It was five in the evening. In rural Minnesota the towns roll up the sidewalks and those who live there are not seen again until 9 AM the next day. I dove to my vet and was turned away. He was gone working at a cattle sell that day. His office was manned by someone who could not say when he would return. The next vet had an emergency phone but did not answer the call for help. Finally I turned down a short dark street and parked in front of the last vet in Long Prairie Minnesota. I dialed the number and when the vet answered began a long, detailed plea for help. Dr Ann must have thought I was crazy but she came out on the snowy night to help us. While I waited for her to return to her office I called my husband.'Honey don't kill me but......""' . He said he understood and it was ' 'OK' because he would have done the same thing. He said he knew it was just part of me he loved even if we didn't need another fur child.   The vet arrived and examined the dog. Dr Ann confirmed what I had suspected. The dog's leg was shattered and would need amputation or we could put her to sleep. Dr Ann said she had good chance to live with the surgery. I looked into the dog's eyes. She had come though so much to stay alive. I choose to give her a chance. Dr Ann did surgery to remove her left hind leg at \the elbow like joint. Two days later the dog came home. Since I decided on the dog my husband decided on the name. He said her name would be Tereo, like Oreo with a 'T'.' because of her dark color.   Our other dogs hated her on sight and would not have anything to do with her. Tereo accepts this without a pause. She recovered quickly and learned to walk and then run on 3 legs. She met the neighbors. We found out she has the friendliness of a Labrador and the voice of a hound. She came housebroken and knew how to recover toss balls and toy ducks. She has a soft mouth with game. She swims well and does not hesitate to jump in the lake to fetch a stick. When her last human lost her they lost a dog whom they had worked and trained well. The neighbor tells us she knows hunting hand signals. I do not feel we are doing justice for her. With three other dogs we don't have enough time to give this wonderful fur child. She needs a place to run and a human of her very own. The other dogs really do not like her and we must keep them a part. They stay in separate parts of the house and can not be in the same room together. To keep her safe we can only see each dog for a little time each day. We have decided that if possible we would find Tereo her own human parent. She has now returned to almost adult weight and health. She runs and plays again. She no longer fears humans and sh loves children. Children love her. She has her shots and is ready o go to only the finest home possible.  No reasonable offer will be turned down. She would make someone a real companion . Please consider giving her a home. Kathy Peters Foster Parent of Tereo the fur child.