101 Spots Of Love
Salt Lake City, Utah

“It’s Pongo!” The little girl shrieked with delight. Immediately, she ran over and threw her arms around the Dalmatian, hugging him and giggling.

Armstrong gets this a lot. Kids always think he’s the Dalmatian from the movie, “101 Dalmatians.”

Not that he minds. To hear his owner, Shelley Gallagher, tell it Armstrong was born loving kids. “When he was three weeks old, instead of playing with his littermates, he sought out kids to play with.”

For kids, the attraction is always immediate. They have no fear of the 62-pound Dalmatian. As far as they are concerned, he is Pongo from the movie. What’s to fear?

For Armstrong - - well, he just loves kids, plain and simple. Because his heart is so big, Shelley wanted him to share that love with some very special kids. She had him certified as a therapy dog through the Delta Society at 18 months.

Shortly after that, Armstrong began his work on the oncology floor of Primary Children’s Center in Utah. That’s where the magic really begins. Armstrong gives these kids the kind of compassion that needs no words. A child enfolds the dog in her arms, resting her battled body against his soft fur, and Armstrong relaxes into her embrace.

He loves them with no strings attached. For the kids, he is the ray of sunshine they crave, a gift at a time of grave uncertainty.

But Armstrong has health problems of his own. Dalmatians are prone to kidney stones, and Armstrong has seen more than his fair share. He has been battling bladder stones since he was 14 months old.

Now at just 6 years old, this loving dog has had 3 surgeries that cut into his bladder to remove the stones, and 6 more catheter surgeries to flush out these stones. In October of 2009, his urinary tract was completely re-routed in an effort to cut down on these infections.

With all these surgeries, you would think Armstrong would be terrified of going to the vet’s office. Nope. Believe it or not, he loves it. Shelley says, “They don’t have to sedate him in order to examine him. Armstrong knows he’s going to get loved on.”

Shelley has also been health-challenged. She has had 3 surgeries in the last 17 months. As you can imagine, her money was very tight. But just like Armstrong, her compassion for her dog and his mission in life is unwavering.

“If it had been any other dog, I would have considered putting him down,” Shelley told us.

But that was unthinkable. Nationally recognized in the Dalmatian Club Of America’s magazine, “The Spotter,” for the therapy work he has so lovingly performed, Armstrong’s heart is too big to silence.

Encouraged by friends and professionals, Shelley applied for financial aid grants. But she also reached out to us, and to The Mosby Foundation for help.

When Shelley told us about Armstrong we were delighted to offer our assistance. We want him to continue to be a loving presence for children who need it most.

And we’re also glad that Shelley’s vet has finally found a dog food that seems to help Armstrong’s body reduce the ability to make the stones.

Now the unselfish gift of love that both Shelley and Armstrong share will continue to embrace the hearts of children who need it most.