Braille’s Happy Ending

Braille - he got the home and the love he deserved before he died

Dogs like Braille shouldn't have to be rescued from pounds.

When Animal Advocates heard that a sweet, trusting Akita had been abandoned at the Vancouver City Pound by his family, when he was only 18 months old, we immediately bought him (yes we have to pay to save animals’ lives!). His "family" had abandoned him because he had developed a genetically-induced (read "breeder-induced") auto-immune disease that was making him blind. Dogs labeled "unadoptable" at the pound may be killed. Braille's chances weren't good. We immediately got him to a veterinary eye-specialist.

The news was not good. There was no cure - just treatment. The veterinarian opthamologist's prognosis wasn't happy - Braille might live a long, or a short time, but sooner or later, the disease would kill him.

So we did what we always do - we found him a home from heaven, where his new, real family welcomed him into its family circle and gave him joy, love, fun, and security.

And when his eyes swelled up, painful, and full of blood, and wouldn't go down, AAS had his poor, sore, eyes removed.

And then he was away to the races - chasing balls by sound, taking long walks at Mosquito Creek where he met his friends every day, and having long cuddles with the cats and with his dear family, who named him "Braille".

Braille's birthday party - celebrating one year of love. Guests include Hazel Moran, also blind, and the adopter of Prissy, a crippled AAS cat; Linda with Hazel's seeing-eye dog Thyme; Sue and Mike with Bella (rescued from the Vancouver City pound by AAS), and Koko, rescued by AAS from being drowned with her litter.

He had a little more than a year of happiness, before his disease killed him. But that's more than a lot of dogs get. He cost Animal Advocates almost $2000, about $5.00 a day for his life. And we are the richer for it.

We love you, Braille.

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