Tobias, Just a Dog
Today we said goodbye to a dog we knew only a short time. We wanted to bring him relief and allow him to enjoy the few days we could help. He could enjoy time inside a loving home, take walks in the woods with young boys, and feel a gentle normal life.
On May 9, 2021, a concerned citizen alerted an Animal Control Advisory Board member to a dog clearly needing help. The city’s initial response minimized the situation. Days passed before the dog was taken in, and rescues were not contacted until three full days later.
When Animal SOS finally received the call and picked Tobias up, he could not walk and had to be carried. At emergency care, eight liters of fluid were drained from his abdomen. He had advanced heartworm-related heart failure, anemia, infections, hookworms, and early kidney failure.
This case is shared for transparency and to demand an immediate, comprehensive plan to prevent needless suffering, because a dog should not endure pain due to bureaucracy or negligence.