On Thursday, Sept. 8 my dog Faith was given a peaceful ending to months of pain and suffering. I was in and out of the hospital due to cancer issues and couldn’t keep an eye on when her pain would start. She was the best dog and Emotional Support Animal I’ve ever been given.
My son Paul and I went to Metro Animal Care and Control 13 years ago and fell in love with this little, tiny puppy. We adopted her with the agreement that we’d bring her back when she reached a certain weight to have her fixed. Two weeks later Paul and I sat in the waiting room until she was ready to come home. They said they’d call us when they were done, but Paul quickly said, “We’ll wait.”
Faith became a member of our family that day. She had to! It took three adults to give her a bath in the kitchen sink! The trip to the local PetSmart was comical as well. Paul picked out a bed for her to sleep in and the only time she slept in it was in the shopping cart walking around PetSmart.
Faith brought us so much joy. She was with us during the time we were homeless. She gave us hope that one day we’d be a housed family again. If it wasn’t for her snuggles, kisses and love it would have been a much different outcome. She was there when the housing call came in and I know my excitement got her all riled up and her joy came out.
Then a trip to the vet turned into a taste of things to come. A spot of cancer was found on her back. We knew we had to do everything for her. I had just found out that I also had cancer, but thought it was best to take care of Faith first so we did.
Quadruple bypass surgery was needed quickly before I could start cancer treatments. Faith was with me through it all. She was my companion when I couldn’t even get out of bed and a friend who listened to all my fears and licked all my tears.
She will be missed for many years.