The Mosby Foundation

Searching For Kindness

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

“No one will help me.”
That’s what the email said. “It is now Monday night and my baby has not eaten since Friday, and she keeps throwing up bile. I can’t stand to see her like this. She has become skin and bones and big brown sad eyes when she looks at me.”

Alexis, Dabs Rousseau’s 15-year old Pitbull companion, got sick following Dabs' illness around New Year’s. Dabs had lost her job and did not have money for veterinary care. Still, she called her vet of many years and asked if she could work out a payment plan.

The answer was an emphatic no. Stunned, Dabs was momentarily lost. But when she looked into the pained eyes of her dog, she knew she had to get help. She then called the Humane Society of Fort Lauderdale. The answer she received was, “Lady, we hear this a lot since the recession. Just because you lost your job, doesn’t mean we are responsible for your pet medical bills.”

And so it began. With her dog getting sicker and sicker, Dabs began a desperate hunt to find someone to help. “Well, to say the least, I was so upset that no one would help, I got on the Internet and Googled all vets in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. I began calling every single vet on the list and there were hundreds... The response was the same. I needed money for any of them to see my dog.”

Here at The Mosby Foundation, we know that the public at large often has a very closed view of animal sickness and death. But could the veterinary world really take such a coldhearted stance with a very sick dog? Apparently, in that place and situation.

That is until Dabs got near the end of her extensive list. Dabs called Dr. Jerry Shanks with Shanks Vet Clinic. Without hesitation, he told her to bring Alexis into his clinic. Grateful beyond words, Alexis told him she’d be there shortly.

At the same time, Dabs also searched the Internet for an organization to help her financially. That’s when she emailed us with her heartfelt plea for help. And, of course, we immediately pledged our support.

Dr. Shanks also sought help in covering the expenses for Alexis’ care. He placed an ad on Craigslist. The responses he received were shockingly negative. “It’s just a dog!” “You can always get another one.”

Once Dabs got to Dr. Shanks’ clinic, the news was not good. An x-ray showed that Alexis had a tumor in her stomach that was cancerous. “This is a hospice situation now,” Dr. Shank told a bereaved Dabs. “She has maybe two months to live.”

Heartbroken, Dabs took Alexis home and cared for her lovingly. But the following week, Alexis got worse. Dabs’ car was not working, so she called a friend to transport her to Dr. Shank’s clinic. But Alexis was so heavy she could not carry her down three flights of steps.

Crying, Dabs knocked on a neighbor’s door and asked him if he would help her carry her dog down the steps. “I told him my dog was dying and I begged him to help me carry her downstairs, just to get her in the car…to my absolute surprise, he said no.”

It was then Dabs noticed a garbage truck outside of her apartment building. She ran downstairs and waved at the truck to stop. She told the driver about her situation and the man immediately ran up three flights of steps to get Alexis. When they finally reached Dr. Shanks' office, with Dabs by her side, the vet compassionately ended Alexis’ life, helping her cross the Rainbow Bridge.

While we were glad to help Dr. Shanks with the cost of Alexis’ medical care, Dabs has pledged to re-pay Dr. Shanks once she’s gainfully employed. Until then, she made the good doctor homemade lasagna!

As for Dr. Shanks, he simply said, “I did it for Alexis.”

Even though Dabs knows she did the best thing for her dog, the loss plunged her into deep grief. It's a loss many animal lovers have experienced, but few people will admit they understand.

For us, this story was heartbreaking on many fronts. We were shocked and grieved that the animal world turned a blind eye to Dabs’ dreadful situation. We, too, know that donations are down and the need is up.

And that’s why, more than ever, it’s important to listen. Because Dabs loved her dog so much, she didn’t let the lack of compassion stop her from searching for kindness. Out of so many, she found it with Dr. Shanks and with The Mosby Foundation.

We wish that Dabs’ story was unique, but it isn’t. Those of us who are animal lovers tend to hide our deep sadness when we lose our pet, knowing that most of the world downplays such a serious loss.

Rita Reynolds, Batesville, Va author of Blessing The Bridge, says that she hears from people worldwide about this same tragic phenomenon. With so little support, people go underground with their grief.

And to compound the loss, ultimately, every pet owner asks the same questions: “Did I make the decision too soon?” “Did I wait too long?” Taking the life of your dearly beloved friend is the hardest decision a pet guardian has to make. It’s not surprising that we sometimes feel guilt. It takes time and reflection after the death of our dog to reach resolutions on these questions.

We may never get over our loss, but we find a way to work through or store the grief and, with the passing of time, we move on. And then, a completely remarkable wonder happens. We meet another special someone. This dog may or may not be anything like the companion we lost, but we feel a spark, a connection that touches our sometimes still aching hearts.

It’s a love we thought we’d never feel again. And our grief rests, bringing with it peace. Here is a new companion so different, yet so real..... and we rejoice.

Check out Rita Reynolds website: www.blessingthebridge.com