I cradled him in my arms and kissed his sweet muzzle and soft ears as he passed on at the age of 14.
He had been having difficulty urinating and his vet examined him and took an x-ray. The plan was to do an ultrasound and consult with a specialist on our options. Sadly, they advised that he had an inoperable malignant prostate cancer.
After losing Charles, my 14 ½-year-old rescued GSP, to old age, I wanted to find an older dog needing a forever home. Then I found Rory (then named Ollie) on the website. He was about 9 and had seizures. But we met and it was instant love for the both of us – he rested his head on my shoulder and rubbed his muzzle on my cheek!
When Rory arrived at his forever home he was amazed at looking out the windows and checking out everything in the neighborhood. He left long snot marks on all the windows – one of his aunties called it “lace”. He loved to ride in the car and went to daily doggy daycare until I retired. Rory made friends with everyone he met – he was a sweet and gentle soul. Everyone loved him!
Rory found his new calling in life when his forever home had a back garden full of dwarf fruit trees – apples and pears galore. He became Farmer Rory and tended his garden faithfully and organically in all seasons. Rory harvested his apples and pears by bumping his body against the tree trunks, ripping branches off the trees or simply balancing on his back legs and grabbing a piece of fruit. One year he was caught climbing into the pear tree! He ate 99% of all the tomatoes and strawberries every year and no zucchini lasted to any size larger than a finger. The occasional snail and worm were also devoured.
He loved his doggie treats but was most fond of the cheese wrapped around his meds for seizures and his arthritis – he preferred good cheddar or fontina!
The sweet gentle soul in now laid to rest in his back yard deep in the raised flower bed in the shade of his pear tree. His casket has carved flower branches that look like pear tree blossoms.
Before he passed on that morning, he ate the last juicy pear from his tree!
The house and garden are empty without my sweet boy!
-Catherine Tumilty
