It’s important to say at the beginning that Rose crossed the rainbow bridge during this journey, but that’s not how her story ends. Our neighbors, Sarah and Sam, found Rose abandoned and confused. She was wandering around alone on a busy road. They picked her up and tried to find out where she came from. Certainly, someone must be missing this sweet girl. Scanning for a chip was the obvious first
step, and it turned out she had one. Unfortunately, the people who she thought were her family no longer wanted her. Sarah and Sam weren’t going to put her back on the streets and began efforts to find her the loving home she deserved. That’s when Rose came to us. We had no idea what an impact her life would have. A couple of weeks after Rose was in our care, she began losing weight. We could not figure out why. She was eating but it seemed the nutrients were not being absorbed by her body. After numerous vet visits with tons of bloodwork, tests, and different diets, we were still stumped. Rose was becoming more and more malnourished. Our veterinarian decided that Rose would need extensive medical care, greater than what they could offer. She suggested NC State College of Veterinary Medicine where they have access to state-of-the-art equipment and in-depth treatment options. It was going to be incredibly expensive, however. We couldn’t watch Rose decline without giving it all we had so we looked for help. Our friend, Jessica, who loves animals as much as we do, asked friends and contacts for donations. The outcome was beyond belief. The community came together, and the donations flooded in. Rose’s surgeries and treatment cost over $17,000 and almost every penny of that was paid for by donated money. We had no rescue organization, no status that would allow those who donated to take a tax deduction. It was all in love. NC State discovered that Rose had a severe stricture in a very important part of her intestine. They performed surgery and we had high hopes, but Rose’s body was just too weak to recover. We brought her home where she got lots of cuddles and kisses and an absurd amount of Thanksgiving turkey before she rested for the last time. Her legacy of love lives on, however. Rose brought people together for a cause, to help those who are most vulnerable, the ones without a voice. We set up Rose’s Wish with the mission to aid animals in need, ones like Rose who would be unable to get essential care if not for support. 100% of donations go towards that goal.
