10/19/2026
💔🌈 Our hearts are shattered. Rest peacefully, Riggs. 🌈💔
It is with unimaginable heartbreak that we share that our sweet Riggs passed away Saturday morning, October 17th.
We have needed some time to process this devastating loss, and even now, finding the words feels impossible.
Riggs was getting better. Not in the sudden, dramatic way that sometimes happens before an animal passes, but in small, steady, appropriate increments. The kind of progress we had been working so incredibly hard for.
He was playing every single day. He was acting like his normal, goofy self. He was tolerating his food and fluids well, and we genuinely believed we were finally getting somewhere.
When Riggs had his feeding tube replaced, we specifically discussed additional hydration with his veterinarian. We talked about IV fluids and even the possibility of sending him home with subcutaneous fluids to make absolutely certain he was getting everything he needed.
His veterinarian didn’t believe the additional fluids at home were necessary. Riggs wasn’t significantly dehydrated, and he responded well to the IV fluids he received. There was nothing at that appointment that suggested his organs were failing. Had there been any reason to suspect something more serious was happening, we are confident his veterinary team would have recommended additional testing.
There were no warning signs that Saturday morning was coming.
Friday was a normal day. Riggs played, received his care, and went to bed just like any other night.
But when his foster mom went to check on him Saturday morning, something was terribly wrong.
Riggs couldn’t move. His gums were pale. And from what she described to us, we knew immediately that this was an emergency.
We instructed her to rush him to the veterinarian, who was prepared to make room for him immediately.
Unfortunately, the news was devastating.
His veterinary team suspected that Riggs was experiencing acute kidney and liver failure. It appeared that, almost overnight, his organs had simply reached their limit.
There was nothing more we could do to save him.
And so, after everything Riggs had endured, everything he had overcome, and everything we had fought so hard to give him, we made the heartbreaking decision to let him go peacefully.
Riggs passed away beside the woman who had become his mom. ❤️
She had hoped to officially adopt him once he was healthy enough. In our hearts, though, he had already found his forever home.
His veterinarian suspects that Riggs may have been suffering from an underlying autoimmune disorder in addition to his confirmed Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI).
Finding something like that would have required a second miracle.
We had done everything we could for his EPI. Every medication, every adjustment, every feeding, every appointment, every opportunity to give his body what it needed.
His sudden decline simply wasn’t consistent with what his veterinary team would have expected from EPI alone.
One of the things his veterinarian told us that day will stay with us forever.
They told us they had never seen a pet surrounded by such dedicated, supportive people. That no one else would have given Riggs the life, the opportunities, and the extraordinary level of care that he received with us.
And while those words mean more than we can express, they don’t make losing him any easier.
We only wish we had found Riggs sooner.
Maybe we could have gotten him into training sooner. Maybe we could have recognized his medical symptoms earlier. Maybe we could have given him more time.
We know we cannot change the past, but it’s impossible not to wonder.
What we do know is that Riggs was loved beyond measure.
He wasn’t just another rescue dog. He was family.
He had people who believed in him when others had given up. People who fought for him when things were difficult. People who celebrated every tiny victory and refused to stop trying.
He had a mom and dad who loved him, a home where he belonged, and an entire community rooting for him.
And right up until his final night, he was still playing and enjoying the life we had worked so hard to give him.
💔 We weren’t ready to say goodbye, Riggs. We thought we had so much more time.
We are incredibly grateful to his foster family, his veterinary team, his trainers, and every single person who donated, shared his story, offered encouragement, or believed in him.
You helped give Riggs something he deserved all along: a chance.
🐾 Helping Us Honor Riggs 🐾
If you would like to help us settle his remaining medical expenses, donations would be deeply appreciated.
❤️ Donations:
SmoreDogsRescue.com
Vet: +1 (541) 567-1138
🌈 A Final Resting Place for Riggs
Because Riggs was so incredibly special to us, we would like to have him privately cremated so that his ashes can be divided into keepsakes for the people who loved and cared for him.
Paws to Remember is assisting us with his aftercare and can accept payments directly over the phone for anyone who would like to contribute toward his cremation.
Paws to Remember: +1 (509) 627-7297
We would also love to create a small memorial space in Riggs’ honor.
If anyone would like to send a memorial gift, such as a garden stone, an angel, a rainbow decoration, or another keepsake to help us remember him, those can be mailed to:
S’more Dogs Rescue
P.O. Box 194
Richland, WA 99352
There will never be another Riggs.
He challenged us. He taught us. He made us laugh. He made us cry. And he reminded us why we do what we do, even when the outcome breaks our hearts.
We would do it all over again for him.
Every sleepless night. Every appointment. Every feeding. Every dollar. Every tear.
Because Riggs was worth every bit of it.
Run free, sweet boy. No more medications. No more feeding tubes. No more struggles.
Just sunshine, endless adventures, and all the freedom you could ever want.
We love you, Riggs. Forever. 🐾🌈💔
October 17, 2026 — Forever in our hearts.
