The photo hurts, I know it does; the story does not. A reminder of life and how it goes. The paperwork said euthanasia scheduled for Friday. One more animal at a shelter had run out of time. Sadly the older ones and the sickest ones are usually the first to go. And for this 17 year-old dog, alone in a shelter, that meant Friday.
The paperwork also said severely worn and fractured teeth with pulp exposed, ears heavily infected, swollen and too painful to touch, a 6 cm ovoid purple mass, two large SQ masses on both the left and right abdomen, pain exhibited with extension of the hips, severe alopecia, thickened skin in many places from being chronically infected, severe dental tartar, gingivitis, allergies.
Other reports said bright pink skin, multiple warts over entire body, large SQ masses left chest, abdomen, paws, severely worn teeth, numerous hematomas, fleas, multiple and serious medical issues.
You get the idea. This dog was in rough shape. And that’s why the shelter felt euthanasia was the right thing. This dog was old. He hurt. He hurt a lot. He could not hear much because his ears were swollen shut. He could not eat much because his teeth and mouth hurt. But his spirit was strong. So, so strong!
The photo shows just one of the tumors on his paw. How in the world was he able to walk with that? How badly must it have hurt him? And that was only one of them.
Yet there he was battling through the pain to fight for another day. Because that’s all he had left.
But on Thursday his Friday changed. Because that dog was Scooby. It was five years ago and he was 17 years-old then. And instead of the Friday that was planned, we adopted each other on Thursday.
To all the rescuers and the saviors and the people that show up and stand up for the animals, thank you! You know how great this feels. Every day all of you do so much to help. You do it because you care.
And you know what a true honor it is to be the one that has the chance to make that difference. For me, on that day, I had the honor of saving Scooby.
At The Pongo Fund, we do it one at a time. And we do it with the hope and prayers that maybe someday we really will be able to save them all. Just like Scooby. Because the truth is, there’s a little Scooby in all of us.
This Wednesday August 31st Scooby will celebrate his 22nd birthday. Or 156 or 1000, depending on how you count. Because for a Buddha dog like Scooby, the actual age really has little resemblance compared to the years of his soul. The thing his, he just continues to Scooby. Here, there, everywhere.
And that’s why, even though he crossed the Rainbow Bridge a few months ago, he’s still here. With me. Right now. And that means he’s still here with you too. Because it’s true and I know it is. Having him close is such a gift. And when I hear the jingle-jangle-jingle of his collar, well, I really like that.
To celebrate, to remember, to help even more, in honor of Scooby’s Special Birthday on Wednesday, all donations to The Pongo Fund will be matched 100%. That also goes for all donations last week, this week and next week too, through September 15th.
Every one of them will be matched up to $22,000. And that money will be used to restock our pet food bank where the dog and cat food shelves have become almost bare and winter is coming. The economy may be improving, but for the tens of thousands that count on us, those statistics of betterment have not yet found them. And they still need our help, two and four-legged alike.
The Pongo Fund has provided more than nine million high-quality meals since we began little more than six years ago, helping keep more than 90,000 beloved family pets safe at home and out of the shelters. We’ve helped in more than 30 counties throughout Oregon and Washington, and more than 100 nationally. And along the way we’ve provided food, veterinary care, spay-neuter, education and more. But most of all, we’ve provided hope.
And every single one of those meals and every single one of those lives saved and every bit of that hope is because of you.
Maybe you’d like to be part of the work we do by joining Scooby’s 22 Club? Please click here now to pay by credit card or Paypal:https://www.thepongofund.org/contact/donation-page/. To send a check, please mail to The Pongo Fund, PO Box 9000, Portland OR, 97207.
But no matter what and if nothing else, please always send good wishes to all of the animals. Be there for them. Stand up for them. Be their voice. And please do everything you can so each and every one of them continue to be safe and happy and loved.
Being there for them. Caring about them. Saving them.
And this is why we Pongo.
Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. thepongofund.org
In Memory of 150 year-old Scooby Chusid:
August 31, 1994 – February 14, 2016
Always Loved, Always Remembered.
Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. thepongofund.org