Donny a big headed foster boy

A little bit ago I got asked if I would go and assess two dogs in a shelter in Windsor, Ontario. Of course my answer was yes and I went down right away. We got to the shelter and smell was horrid in even the admin area. The lady there explains where they came from “ we picked them up on opposite ends of town but both had a microchip and there was only an email attached that traces back to a known sketchy back yard breeder”We wait to be taken back to asses this too older dogs, we go back the food dish was moldy, both kennels were filled with shit and piss covered blankets and towels. They open Donny's cage up and out he trots with some gentle coaching. Cherry on the other hand had to be carried out. Neither attacked me lol so they were being sprung, they had them on allergy meds and Cherry had special ointment for her eyes. They tell me Donny has a hernia and can't poop right. I get them into the crates in the SUV not a peep out of either of them all the way to Sarnia, we stop once for pee breaks. Donny jumps out Cherry has to be carried. I notice that even in the crate it would appear Donny is literally bent over in the pooping position all of the time. This seems really odd. We bring them home they take well to my big guy and my son. Donny is leaking consent blood and stool. That means emergency vet visit for Donny. My amazing vet who is honest, down to earth and loves animals looks him over. He has spine issues from being in the poop position for so long. I explained where he came from as he was putting on a glove and lube to shove up Donny's rear end. He pulled at least a pound of poop from his rear and Donny relaxed big time. I was gagging so much blood and so much stool. He said that's all he could get for now. He checked him and then did something I have never in the 17 years I have been going to him do, he asked the young women vet who he has taken on at his practice to come do a second exam she did then went back and they talked. As I listened in to what they were saying. Him “Have you ever seen that before?” Her “No you?” Him “not outside of training” Her “Well I agree it is what we think it is”. My vet comes back in. He looks grim as he starts explaining “Donny should never have left the shelter and you should take him back there right now.!” I explained that it wasn't an option. Then he explained to me what was wrong “Donny's descending colon has separated from the rectum and is no longer lined up. The poop has created a sac inside the rectum that is filling with poop. He has been like this a long time. It could be caused by a long term hernia or something else but we have no way of knowing. There is a surgery that is $5000.00 that will likely not even fix the problem. We can try but it is rare that it will work. Unlike humans dogs can't wear a colostomy bag. I knew what the decision had to be. All the shelter down there had to do was a rectal exam and this dog would not have suffered a minute longer, but nope that's not what they did. I called the rescue and explained everything as I was trying to hold it together. I held Donny while he crossed the rainbow bridge. I told him over and over you are loved, you wont be in pain any more and your a good boy, no one will ever hurt you again. Blaine was with me. I was broken. Blaine said its okay mom he is with my brother Ace now. I cried harder.

Donny was only with me 24 hours but I made him feel as loved and comfortable as possible during his time with me. There was no investigation done into cruelty, there was no charges laid, these “sketchy breeders” have been left to do it over and over and over again.

As I type this the anger all comes back the heart break all comes back.

Good-Bye Ace

Ace was my forever dog, he was my heart and soul. This past year was a hard one on him, well harder than normal. Ace knew me, everything about. Reminded me when I forgot to eat, helped me find the truck when I got lost on the trail, comforted me when I was in pain or sick. No dog will ever be like him, no dog will ever replace the bond I had with him.

We got ace when he was 4 months old. He had come from a puppy mill outside of London that had been shut down and the first owners couldn't handle him. It must have been fate or something along those lines because a week before we were going to adopt a beagle named bagel from the Sarnia Humane Society but she was adopted the same day we went in to adopt her. So we found Ace (moo moo). In his new home he spent most of this time in a crate and when out of the crate he had little exercise and mental stimulation and if you know anything about northern breeds you know that they crave that and when they don't get it they become destructive. I put my everything into Ace. Everything that I would have put into Owen I put into him.

He loved to learn right from the start and in no time learned 30+ commands. At about a year old we found out he had neurological issues that caused seizures and other neurological issues but other wise he was happy and healthy. About a year ago the seizures were getting closer together he was having many a day and he was having issues with his back end. It turns out he had spinal degeneration and arthritis in his hips. Come June (6 months after this) he could barely walk, no more hiking or even walking more then a block. The vet gave him anti-inflamatories and told me this would likely be his last winter.

Even with the medications he was still having a hard time with his back end and getting around. It came to the point where he would lay there and cry. I was told giving him CBD cookies would help him so we did this but it got to the point where he had to be drugged in order to even just lay without crying. The decision had to be made for him, I needed to stop being selfish and trying to hold on to him longer just for my sake. I made the call in tears and brought him in. My vet is amazing I couldn't ask for a more gentle kind man. I held him and cried into his fur as he passed. He was no longer in pain anymore but my heart broke in two.

When we got home Bossco knew the moment we came in without Ace he was upset for weeks, even refused to eat and just moped around. Blaine lost his brother and he went over the rainbow bridge and would no longer be hurting. For weeks after Blaine would ask for moo moo or tell me he missed him.

I can't even explain the connection I had with Ace but I do know my life and my heart will never be the same.

That day in that office a part of me was lost forever.