Butch was just one of the very special dogs who came into Oldies Club care. He soon proved what a wonderful, big-hearted lad he was and, naturally as soon as his details appeared on the Oldies Club website, the phone started to ring and hardly stopped. Butch was one of the most popular dogs we have had in our care. which meant that we were able to choose the perfect home for him.
In February, he found his dream, forever home and we all wished him a long and happy life with his perfect new owners and baby sister. He certainly enjoyed the best life possible and lived life to the full, but, sadly, that time proved to be only too short.
His family have sent us this heartfelt message about him:
I’m sorry to have to write you this letter – and I’ve been putting it off for days. But the simple truth is that Butch finally gave up the ghost, just about a fortnight ago.
He was happy and comfortable to the very last. The steroids the vet prescribed worked miracles for weeks, and gave him back his vigour, his wag and his appetite almost instantly – and for 5 weeks or so he was a renewed animal. But over his last couple of weeks his body finally began to fail him, and his legs just couldn’t carry his weight for more that a few steps. I was working from home that month, he’d lie by my desk as I worked – so I was with him all day and night and could carry him out to the garden whenever he needed the loo, and he’d stagger back to the house wagging his tail proudly – so he kept his dignity to the last. But on the morning of last Monday he could scarcely stand and had to be held up to pee. Back lying on the rug in the kitchen he gave a muffled bark (something he hardly ever did!) then dropped his head, and passed away in my brother in law’s arms. It was quick, it was painless and it was peaceful.
We are devastated – he was such an integral part of our family, and such a deep and wise creature. Diddi our puppy is grieving terribly – she came straight from her litter to our home and the kinship of Butch, and they’ve never been apart for more than an hour or so. I’ve taken her to my parents’ home for a change of scene, and she’s really attached to my Dad who is always magical with dogs. We’re all slowly trying to get used to not having him just out of eyeshot, you keep looking round expecting to find him.
But there it is – he was the most wonderful dog – and we’ll never find the like again.
But in time we will get another dog to join us.
Butch might have been with his new family for only a few months but he packed loads of love and fun into those few months. Run free, Butch. xx