The shaggy little puppy was so ill that he lost his puppy fur five months before he should have.  He was much too sick to do the usual naughty puppy things, because he could barely breathe.  He coughed and coughed and then he looked so embarrassed that he couldn't stop it.  "I'm sorry I am coughing all over your nice house," he said to Connie and Michelle.  "The doctor said I'm going to die," he told them, (as if they didn't know already.) "We will love you no matter what," they told him.  They kept him safe and warm and comfortable. "I'm not gonna die right now," he said.  "I made a pawmise to my mother..." Connie smiled, hoping that was true. "A letter came in the mail for you today," she said. "It's from Connecticut.  You are going on a Shopping Spree!"

'

Before he knew it he was on another car ride.  When they got to the Pet Toy Store, Connie and Michelle put a nice soft blanket in a shopping cart for him and let him ride around in it.   It was the most wonderful place he had ever seen. There were huge bags of food, and every kind of toy.  There were wonderful smells, and beautiful dogs prancing around showing off their uprights.

"Who sent me this ticket to the dog toy store?" asked Sir Scruffy McDuff. Connie explained that his "Uncle Mark and Aunt Sue and their sheepdog Sydney sent it." "Why did they send it?" he asked. "Because they want you to have some fun, and they want you to know that they love you," explained Michelle.  "I have a family?" asked the puppy. "We are all a family in the rescue world," said Connie. "Near and far.  There are people you have never met that love you." The simple act of kindness of total strangers in Connecticut made a most wonderful day for this very sick dog.  Little did anyone guess, it was about to change all of their lives.

Scruffy was allowed to pick out whatever he wanted with his "ticket".  He got balls, and toy ropes, and he even picked out a purple leash.  "Can I get something for Lady Di?" he asked. "You can do whatever  you want with it," said his rescue angels. So Scruffy picked out a soft fuzzy stuffy for his best friend. "This is the most fun I ever had!" he said. "I can't wait to tell Lady Di that there are places like this in the world!"

On the way back to his foster home, Scruffy looked very proud of himself with his new leash and toys.  While they were riding back he asked a lot questions. "Is Connecticut far away?" was the first question. "Why didn't Mark and Sue and Sydney come visit me?" "Did you tell them that I'm going to die?"  "How do you get tickets to the toy store?" "When are we coming back to the toy store?" "I'm getting bigger, aren't I?" Connie and Michelle were amazed by all the questions their curious young puppy asked.  He only stopped asking questions because his cough started up again. "I wish I could meet Mark and Sue and Sydney," he said.  "I want to tell them thank you." With that, the puppy with a million questions fell fast asleep.

Connie and Michelle kept their promise to Judy, and sent many updates about the little puppies.  Judy kept her promise, and put them on the World Wide Rescue Web. The same family that sent the gift card, was following the updates very closely.  Sydney kept opening the page up for Mark and Sue.  Before long, they were falling in love with the little dying puppy.