Robbie, a child who has suffered abuse and neglect and spent years in foster care, understands how older dogs from shelters feel. The longer a child stays in foster care, the harder it is for them to get adopted. The same goes for older dogs in shelters.
When Robbie was adopted by Maria Henry Gay and her husband, the family decided they would only take in older dogs. Even if these dogs might not have many years left, they wanted to give them love for the rest of their lives. One of these “old dogs” was Buffy.
Buffy needed dental work, but due to her age, the vet performed a blood test first. Unfortunately, the results showed that she was suffering from advanced kidney failure. The family decided that the most loving thing to do was to let her go before she lost the will to live and stopped eating and drinking.
Maria wanted to ensure Robbie was on board with the decision, so she picked him up from school to tell him the sad news. Robbie told her he wanted to be the one to hold Buffy when she went to heaven. Buffy peacefully fell asleep on Robbie’s lap. 🐾🌈
The family was heartbroken but knew it was the right decision. Robbie shared, “I know what it feels like not to be loved and cared for. I don’t want any of my animals to ever feel that way. It’s sad for us when they go to heaven. 🌈 For them, it’s a happy day. 🤗”
Although the family mourns the loss of their beloved dog, Robbie reminded his parents that it’s not about how long you have a dog, but how much you love it that matters most. He knows what it’s like to be unloved for so long and finally find a loving family. ❤
Robbie is a wonderful and brave boy.
He is such a caring and loving child, ensuring his dog’s last moments were filled with love. This boy will never abandon his pets; he’ll be there for them through good times and bad. Well done, young man.
It was the perfect way for Mom to support her son as he said his last goodbye to his beloved dog. A lot of lessons were learned that day. ❤
Maria did a great job allowing Robbie to experience pain and work through it instead of carrying that grief his entire adult life. God bless him and comfort you all! 🙏🙏🙏