Rescued from the streets, Murphy experienced love in his final years.
Murphy was soaking wet, his fur matted and pulling at his skin when an ARL Animal Services officer responded to an urgent call to help a dog lying on the side of the road. It didn’t appear that the very old dog had been hit by a car, but he had clearly been suffering for a very long time.
Back at the shelter, our medical team performed an emergency grooming. As the matted chunks of fur fell away, we were shocked to see how thin he was. Tests revealed he also had a variety of medical issues. We didn’t know how long he would be with us, but we were committed to giving him the best life possible for as many days as he had left.
We placed Murphy in our Golden Paw hospice foster program, which offers pets who still have quality of life the opportunity to live out their remaining days in a home environment. For nearly a month, Murphy enjoyed all the comforts of home. We put him on a special feeding program to help him gain weight. He loved sitting in laps, having his ears rubbed, being petted by everyone he met, and relaxing on his soft dog bed.
When he sadly began to decline, new tests confirmed it was time to say goodbye. In a quiet staff office, our team said their loving farewells, sharing a cheeseburger with him and giving him snuggles on a blanket one of his supporters had sent especially for him. Then, in a room filled with love from his caregivers, we humanely and peacefully helped him on his next journey.
We don’t know what Murphy’s life was like before arriving at the ARL, but we are honored to have been able to love and care for him in his final days and provide him with the dignity and compassion he deserved.
And all of this is thanks to your incredible support.
There are so many different ways you can help change the lives of animals in our community. Contact Lora Rogers at (515) 473-9119 or legacy@arl-iowa.org to learn more.