05/29/2026
💔 He was found as a stray, emaciated and with a severely injured eye. So the day his stray hold was up, ACO Jen and I were overjoyed to give him the golden ticket at a new life.
That night, he snuggled up with my dogs, who took to him immediately. He was a magnet to warm, fuzzy blankets. He knew “sit” and “paw,” and his tail never stopped wagging. He was grateful for every bit of affection and was so easy to love.
The next morning was his big vet appointment. Exam, bloodwork, neuter, and eye removal. On the ride there, he was so calm and curled up like a little pretzel. I tossed around names and landed on the name Hank.
Drop-off went smoothly and Hank drenched me with kisses before I left. I walked out thinking, that puppy is special…and I couldn’t wait to find him the perfect home.
When Dr. Santelli called much earlier than expected, I got that sinking feeling. His fragile body was failing and there was no way he could safely undergo surgery. His swollen belly I had hoped was caused by worms, was actually filled with fluid.
Suddenly I was faced with the fact that it was only a matter of time before he began to suffer and decline rapidly.
Hank had already won over so many hearts in such a short time. Staff wrapped him in a fuzzy blanket and showered him with love until I arrived. The moment he saw me, his tail wagged so hard the blanket nearly fell off…and Hank covered me with kisses once again.
I had known him for less than 24 hours. It doesn’t take much to make a dog feel happy and loved.
I told Hank that he was one of the lucky ones, that he was finally escaping a world that had not been kind to him. I told him there was a much better place waiting for him, where he would never know pain, hunger, fear, or loneliness again. And so I made the impossible decision to let him go peacefully rather than a day too late.
Thank you to Jen at for trusting us with these delicate situations and for always fighting for dogs like Hank. And thank you to everyone at who continues to treat our rescue dogs with warmth, compassion, and kindness through some of the most heartbreaking situations.
Rest in Peace, Hank. 💕
