Post by Frank Somerville KTVU
This is the story of Canela.
He was a stray dog found in the Bay Area.
He had a large tumor and was dying.
Vets said there was nothing they could do to save him.
They tried to find his owner but couldn’t.
And because of that, Canela was going to be “put to sleep.”
But that’s when a group called the “The Rainbow Bridge Fund” got involved.
It’s essentially hospice care for dying animals.
A place for them to go to spend their final days in a loving home.
In Canelo’s case he was taken in by a woman named Maria Rivero.
She said:
“He was obviously a loved companion in his prior life.
He deserves to have the best possible quality of life and lots of love in this final transition and to die at home in the presence of his family.”
Maria and her partner gave Canela a couch.
They took him for walks.
They gave him massage therapy.
They even game him medical marijuana to help increase his appetite.
Rivero told the Huffington Post that it’s tough to love an animal when you know it doesn’t have much time left.
“Dogs are loyal companions to their human families.
They deserve to have a better quality of life in their final days then a shelter can provide.”
“We are doing what we would want done for our dogs.
These are old geezers (and) it feels good to lend them a hand.”
A couple of days ago Maria knew that it was the end of the line for Canela.
This picture was taken on his last day.
And here’s what Maria wrote on Facebook right after Canela died:
“Canela passed away peacefully this afternoon it was very sad and emotional for all of us.
I spent the entire day with him.
He was ready.
He had flowers from the garden he loved all around him.
We miss him so much.
He was a truly remarkable being.”
Canela could easily have died alone.
But he didn’t.
Instead his last days were filled with love from people who cared.
I think that’s pretty cool.
The Rainbow Bridge Fund is part of No Kill Oakland-PALS East Bay
And here are two links:
http://www.palseastbay.org/donate.html
https://www.facebook.com/pages/No-Kill-Oakland-PALS-East-Bay/783384141686793?fref=photo
And to read more go to:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…/foster-hospice-dog_n_721279…
Good people making a difference.
That’s what it’s all about to me.
And I’m sure in some way Canela appreciates what they did for him as he was dying.
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