I met Brendan at BARC a while back. We photographed him and made a video, just like we do with all of the dogs at the shelter. He was a sweet older boy. But he was a Pittie so we knew he would be hard to place with a rescue group. Very few of them will even consider a heartworm positive, older, beat up, stray Pittie. And believe me, that is a pity.
I knew he was special when I met him but we moved on to the next dog. There are so many, we have to make haste to market them properly. I lost track of him.
Not much later I was asked if I would sponsor him by Albert’s Dog Lounge. I never say no to them because they are one of the very few rescues that solely concentrate on saving seasoned citizen dogs. The hope was to treat his heartworms, transport him, and find him a human of his own. God always laughs when we make plans.
Brendan went into foster care and was promptly given the name Bubba. He was so gentle, so sweet. It quickly became clear that Bubba was much sicker than anyone knew. He had a bad cough and labored breathing. We thought if we just treated him for heartworms he might be able to live a normal life. It was wishful thinking on our part and we were proven wrong. It was determined Bubba was now a hospice case.
Bubba left his foster and went to Sonoma’s Haven for what we thought would not be for long. It was clear from his appearance that Bubba was a stray and probably had never known the love of a human. That was about to change.
We thought he only had days. But something wonderful happened. Bubba found an angel. Bubba now had something to live for. His angel came in the form of a beautiful, innocent two-year-old child. They instantly hit it off. It was as if they had been together their entire lives. She loved him dearly and made his tail wag. Only love can do that. Her eyes lit up when she saw him and she always asked for him. He had found his human. His small human. His angel. He came alive every time he saw or heard her. They did everything together. Inseparable. It was the sweetest thing imaginable. I smiled every time I received emails of them together. It didn’t matter how crappy my day was going, when I saw the two of them together, anything negative melted away.
Bubba was no longer a hospice case, he was part of a family. Something he deserved but had always escaped him-till now. I visited him several months ago when I thought his time was short. The Sonoma’s Haven family was taking him to the beach that day for his best day ever. I would say it was but honestly, he thought every day was his best day ever as long as he could be by the side of his little angel. That is where he loved to be the most and where he should be.
Sadly, yesterday his old worn out body was ready to let his soul escape. He didn’t want to leave his little human but sometimes there’s just no choice. He would have stayed if he could have. Dogs always know when their times come. They are not afraid of it and meet it head on. And they let us know so we can release them from earthly pain. Sonoma’s Haven let him go. It was a sad day. His love of humans was huge and will leave a hole in their hearts, along with a lot of fond memories. Bubba left this earth being loved. Nothing can ever change that. And he never thought about his life before his little human rescued him. None of that mattered to him. The short time he was at Sonoma’s was a lifetime to him.
Sweet Beautiful Bubba finally found his angel. And then he became one.
I know that angel and Bubba was well loved. In fact, any dog that is at Sonoma’s Haaven is well loved. What a beautiful and well written story. Thank you. I cried, but it was worth it.
I know that angel and Bubba was well loved. In fact, any dog that is at Sonoma’s Haven is well loved. What a beautiful and well written story. Thank you. I cried, but it was worth it.
A beautiful Love story.