Lisa from Ladybird here. This is hard to do, but I’m going to write
this from my perspective because I think it needs to be told that way.
Today, Ladybird rescued a senior dog from Hamilton Animal Control. We
named him Buster. This rescue was done a little differently, in that
we agreed to rescue an animal that we hadn’t actually met in person.
Normally, I’ll pop into the shelter to visit with the animal, then
make arrangements for the vet visit, foster home etc. Once everything
is lined up. I’ll return as soon as I can in the days following to
rescue the animal from the shelter. But this time, Ladybird had been
asked to help this little guy as he wasn’t doing very well in the
shelter. We agreed to rescue him after HAC staff sent us his photos
and temperament report.

Buster had come into HAC as a stray.
Let’s make something clear before I continue. Senior animals are
almost never strays. Those of you who have been following us for a
while have seen the many senior “stray” dogs we’ve rescued. They’re
usually riddled with health issues. They have terrible teeth, tumours,
their nails are overgrown, their fur is matted…maybe they have a
heart murmur. All things that are easily treatable with surgery,
medication, or just a good grooming. Some of these things are also
preventable (especially the dental work) if the animal receives proper
vet care during its life.
These dogs are not strays. These are dogs who belonged to someone.
They haven’t been on the streets their whole lives. If they were truly
a dog who had run away, why do their owners never come looking for
them? I know if any of my animals went missing, hell would freeze over
before I stopped searching. These are not missing or stray dogs.
The sad reality; the owners of these dogs have decided they have had
enough of caring for the dog, so out they go. The dog is either driven
to somewhere far away from their home and tossed out to fend for
themselves, or the owners take them to Animal Control and lie to the
staff to get out of paying the surrender fee. Or in some cases, the
dog’s owner has passed away, and remaining family don’t want to deal
with an aged pet, so those same two scenarios come into play.
At the critical time when a dog needs its owners the most is when they
are abandoned. It’s hard to imagine how confused and afraid these dogs
must be. Even if that dog has had four different homes during its
life, they still had the familiarity of their family, their home,
their own bed. Even just having someone know their name is a comfort.
But they find themselves alone in a cage, surrounded by unfamiliar
people, other dogs, strange noises. Everything is scary. No place for
any dog, but especially not for a dog in its senior years.

Buster wasn’t doing well in the shelter. He didn’t want to eat and had
severe diarrhea. Then he was having trouble going to the bathroom
after he was put on some medication to help with the runs. Through it
all, he remained as sweet and gentle as can be. The staff at HAC did
their best to keep him comfortable with soft beds and cuddles until he
waited out his stray time and could be rescued.

When I got to the shelter today, Buster was having a nap. He didn’t
hear me come into the room, take the paperwork off of his kennel and
leave. When I returned to the room after taking care of his paperwork
with the staff, I opened his cage door, he woke up and came right
over. He seemed al bit wobbly on his feet but he was happy to see me.
He was no trouble to harness up, and he eagerly walked with me out of
the shelter. As with every dog, we do a walk around the building on
the grass to get all the poops and pees out before we get in the car.
Buster walked, wobbled, tripped a bit, but didn’t go to the bathroom
at all. While he walked, I noticed he seemed hunched and it looked
like his back end was giving him some trouble. Nothing really unusual
for a dog of his age.
We got into the car and I placed him in the passenger seat where I had
earlier put a big fluffy blanket for him. He seemed stressed in the
car, but that’s normal. Just another unfamiliar person and situation
for him to be in. He had every reason to be stressed. I did my best to
comfort him while we traveled. Shortly into the drive, he climbed over
into my lap. It was then that I realized he seemed to be having a hard
time breathing. He had sneezed a couple of times, and sort of
semi-coughed. My thoughts went to heart trouble…kennel cough… the
typical things associated with these symptoms. With my hand on his
chest, I became more aware that his breathing was laboured. But…we
were on our way to the vet, so we would know soon enough what the
issue was and get him fixed up.

Once at the clinic, the vet did a thorough exam. Buster’s foster mom
had agreed to meet me at the vet clinic and she arrived shortly after
the exam started. Buster’s teeth were disgusting… up there with some
of the worst I’ve seen. You could smell his breath from across the
room. He had a few lumps and bumps as all senior dogs do. His nails
were too long and he had cataracts. All things I am always prepared
for when rescuing a senior. We all watched as Buster’s chest heaved in
and out, and discussed with the vet the several different things that
might be causing him to struggle. A quick ultrasound showed no issues
with Buster’s lungs or heart. Xrays were recommended. Foster mom and
myself took turns holding and petting Buster in between xrays as the
clinic staff tried to get the right shot to pinpoint the problem.
Buster was a trooper through all of this and we fell in love with his
sweet grey face and his gentle nature.
After the last xray, the vet delivered the devastating news. The xray
showed a large tumour blocking Buster’s trachea. No wonder he couldn’t
catch his breath.
Because of the location of the tumour and Buster’s advanced age,
surgery was not an option. Buster was suffering and that was the last
thing we wanted.

For this last part, I want to speak directly to Buster’s previous owners:
We put your dog to sleep today. He was stressed and suffering. Not
just because he couldn’t breathe, but because you were not there with
him. His foster mom and I held and petted him and told him what a good
boy he was while he drifted away. Our tears fell onto his lifeless
body. Those should have been your tears, and your face should have
been the last thing he saw before his soul left this earth. He was
your faithful companion and a member of your family for all these
years, and when he needed you most, you abandoned him. He was
surrounded by strangers for his final moments, though we did our best
to tell him how much he was loved for the few hours he was with us.
Foster mom and I went home broken hearted over your dog. Even though
we only knew him a very short time, we did our best by him, which you
didn’t have the decency to do.
If you ever get another dog in the future, the very least you can do
is show him the respect and love he deserves right until the end.
That’s not much to ask after he has loved you unconditionally every
day, year after year. He deserves nothing less.
Thankfully, there are many people who cannot fathom what you did to
Buster. That is what lets me retain my sanity. Knowing that there are
those out there who will keep their pet for the life of their pet and
not toss them away like garbage when things get rough in later years.
Ladybird has been able to rescue, fix up and find homes for many dogs
like Buster because of the people out there who are the opposite of
you. We are devastated we couldn’t save Buster, but we’re thankful
that we could shower him with love and not let him die in the shelter
where he ended up because of your lack of compassion…or lack of
better judgement…or whatever excuse you likely have.
Buster didn’t deserve that. I can only hope you come to realize your
mistake and your next dog will not suffer the same fate.

Rest in peace Buster. We won’t ever forget your sweet face.