09/10/2026
🌈 When I take in a senior foster, I stash away a piece of my heart that I’m prepared to have broken. When 13-year-old, heartworm-positive Pickles arrived in January, weak, dirty, malnourished, and scared, we didn’t know what was in store. This scrappy old dog wiggled into our hearts and continued to fight for her life and spot on our couch.
We knew little about her past, only that it seemed clear she was neglected and mistreated. Until the end, she still flinched if I moved towards her too quickly and cowered slightly at touch. But she craved love, forcefully pawing my arm to demand chest scratches before collapsing against me with her warm little body. She was so soft, inside and out.
She loved snuggling with my husband, taught my cat Rook that dogs are safe, and showed our dog Rodger that she was no threat when he was feeling so vulnerable himself. Most importantly, Pickles learned it was safe to take up space, make friends, ask for treats, and just be a dog.
After a summer of subtle symptoms that she just wasn’t feeling her best, we learned last week that she had diabetes, a diagnosis that an underfunded county shelter couldn’t treat and a financial barrier for local rescues. Her health then declined very quickly over the last week, and on Tuesday, Sept. 8, we said goodbye to Pickles as medical euthanasia was the most humane option to avoid her suffering a diabetic crash.
Pickles knew nothing but immense love for her final eight months. Goodbye, sweet girl. Thank you for the love and lessons. Rest easy.
Please consider a senior for your next foster or rescue; they truly have magic to give.
