Girl enjoying a day at the beach.
Here is our pup of the day for the 2 Million Dogs’ 2013 Cancer Can’t Keep a Good Dog Down calendar contest. Remember, you can enter your pup through June 30th and voting starts July 1st. To enter your dog or for more information, email erich@puppyup.org. Puppy Up!
(by Dr. Neely B Waring) Girl found rescue in the fall of 2008. A rescue volunteer saw her tied outside a home in the Miami heat; she had no food, water, or shelter from the sun or rain. The volunteer stopped and knocked on the door. The owner refused to surrender her at the time, but only a week later called the number the girl left with him. He dropped Girl off without a second thought. She was 10 years old, malnourished, and had obviously birthed many litters. She sat in rescue 6 months before I saw her picture online. My friends were pushing me to get a puppy, but her big round eyes touched my soul.
After several months with me, she began to let her personality shine. She was so feisty for being a senior dog! She learned she could jump on the furniture and once she found my bed she never left it! She helped foster many puppies through rescue and was fondly referred to as “the nanny.” She loved to go out on the town with us. She was often seen sporting a cute dress or floppy hat and pink sunglasses. We joked that she was the typical Florida retiree. She won over the judges with her underbite at Worth Avenue’s 2011 Pet Parade and was awarded Best Smile. She was also recognized as Oldest Bulldog at Buddies Thru Bullies 2012 Bullympics.
She developed mammary tumors when she was around 11 years old. They stayed small for quite some time, but over the last few months they grew fast. By then she was 13 and her health was declining. She was losing weight rapidly and going through phases of Vestibular Disease. The vet suspected a brain tumor, but we chose not to do many extensive tests due to her age and health. She had already surpassed the average lifespan of a bulldog and we were so grateful for the time we had with her. We chose to give her the best quality of life we could until the end.
Girl passed in April 2012, but her legacy continues. Her image is used in the Bullies Against Bullying campaign to reach out to kids about the effects of bullying.
