Memorial Rudy

yellow labrador retrieve face profileGoodbye, Beautiful Boy

In November, 2010, we made a very difficult decision…. that horrible,difficult decision… the one that every dog owner dreads… the one that rips your heart right out of your chest… even though you know it’s the right decision…. “It’s time”.  Our beautiful, sweet yellow Lab, Rudy, had not been doing well for quite some time.  He bounced back after a very rough summer but never got back to 100%.  In November his health really declined. Much of his time was spent crying or barking.  Many nights he woke up, unable to settle and panting excessively.  He started having the same symptoms he had in the summer which told us the infection had returned. Four vets and many tests could not determine the cause of the infection and none of the meds helped him.  We knew there was nothing
more that could be done for him.  Rudy still wagged his tail when we petted him, but I don’t think that tail would ever have stopped.  Even at his sickest…when getting shots or having blood drawn… Rudy’s tail never stopped wagging. Our happy boy. We always had to hold his tail during vet check-ups because the vet couldn’t hear Rudy’s heart and lungs over the “thump, thump, thump” of his happy tail against the wall. We didn’t want that tail to ever stop wagging. As our hearts broke, it made us feel just a little better knowing that Rudy could still feel some happiness up to the end. We had to let him go while he still had that. I can’t imagine Rudy without that wagging tail. We will miss him more than words can describe… that beautiful face, those soulful eyes, that droopy skin, his “seal bark”, the easy-going boy who loved everyone and never saw a lap that he didn’t want to sit in, the star of the nursing home, the “favorite” of so many…. our “Baby boy”…”Boo-boo”… “Rudybug”…. the CDO (Chief Dog Officer) of RudyDog Productions…. our “allergy boy” who kept “Buddy Biscuits” in business… he went through a lot over the years but always had a smile on his face and a wag in his tail. We could all learn a lot from him.
yellow labrador retrieve puppy santa hatThe week we lost him marked 12 years since we brought home that chubby little, droopy faced, wrinkly boy who snorted like a little piglet when he slept. Rudy gave us 12 great years. It’s amazing the amount of joy one four-legged creature can bring. Our time with them is never long enough. But we are so blessed to have had him for as long as we did. So, with broken hearts and many tears, we said good-bye to him. He greeted the vet and vet tech with a wagging tail and snuggles. As he drifted away, he snored and snorted…leaving us just as he’d come to us.

Thank You, God, for allowing us to share Your little angel. We are sending him back to You now… where he will be pain free and able to run happily on the beautiful beaches in Heaven, just as he ran with us on our last vacation.

If you are interested in adopting a Lab from Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue, please visit our Web site, www.brooklinelabrescue.org, for more information on our adoption process. If you need additional information about the adoption process or whether you are in our coverage area, please send an e-mail to our Rescue at info@brooklinelabrescue.org

Even if you are not ready to adopt, you can still help us help our Labs!

Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue is a 501(c)3 non-profit volunteer organization funded entirely by donations. Donations are always needed to help with veterinary costs, transportation, and supplies for our dogs. For information on donating to BLRR please click here. Donations are accepted via PayPal or you can mail a check to: Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue, P.O. Box 638, Warrington, PA 18976-0638