14/09/2019
Buster was wandering the streets of Cape Coral, FL when I found him. His nails were so long they curled under his paws, his hair was completley matted to the point that shaving him was the only solution, he was rendered dead from rampaging ear infections, and to top it all off he was underweight and had fleas!
I took him in and got him healthy and all cleaned up and found him a home! But then a week later a vets office I worked closely with called me to say Buster had been left there to be euthanized... I was livid and incredibly disappointed in the entire lack of compassion and honesty his adopter held. I rushed to the vet to get him. The techs told me he had been timid and shy until I showed up and he saw me and it was like a whole new dog.
I knew then that he was meant for me. He would be happier with me. For the next 8 months he worked with me on the animal rescue farm I lived at and then came with me to Tampa when I went to work at a show horse barn.
He followed me everywhere, and stayed by my side day and night. Loyal and loving, he was an unforgettable companion. I remember when people would ask me what his name was. I'd say, "Buster! But you can call him whatever you like because he's deaf, just give him pets and tell him he's a good boy and he's happy!"
But then he suddenly wasn't the same ol dog I was used to. He wasn't himself. After a few days of this odd behavior (peeing were he laid, lethargy and constant sleeping) I took him to the vet to find out his organs were failing...
Buster had tumors growing through most of his internal organs and his kidneys had almost completley failed. His pancreas had shut down and his heart was struggling.
I had no other option than to give him the easy way out... instead of letting him suffer. I took him out for a few hours for one last hurrah. We got McDonald's together, went to the dog park, he saw his buddies at home one more time and I groomed him.
That trip back to the vet was the hardest drive I've ever taken. He didn't know, but somehow I think he did because he laid half in my lap the whole truck ride there. he didn't put up a fight to go to into the clinic.
After I carried him in and set him down he made his rounds, slowly walking around tail wagging to say hi to all the vet techs he'd met before that helped him live a little longer and saying hi and greeting them for some loving.
We walked back, I put him on the table, only holding it together so that I didn't make him too nervous. He was already starting to get confused. I pet him and rubbed his belly and kissed and hugged him one last time as they gave him the injection and went down for his last nap. Then I broke down. For days...
Even though he was only with me for a short time. I will carry the impact that his personality and spirit had on my life until it's my time to go down for my last nap. It's been three years and I still miss him still love him, and I still carry his dog tag around my neck.
Buster is a huge part of the reason I want to run this animal rescue and rehab facility. He didn't deserve to have such a rough life with such poor quality. No dog deserves that. And we often forget that we are their whole world and all they want is to be cared for and loved. We owe it to them to do the best we can to make them happy.
If you read through this thank you, it's not easy for me to talk about Buster but he's a perfect example of the kind of impact I want to make, the kind of situation I want to prevent. I want his life to have more meaning than just the impact he had on mine.
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