Blackie

We've known Blackie for a long time. We used to visit him when we were with another outreach group. Blackie didn't have a dog house and he was chained in the corner of the yard at a house in KCK. We hooked him up with a dog house and a light weight tie-out. We started bringing food by on a regular basis and checking up on him. Time went by and we weren't able to visit Blackie, even though he was always in the back of our minds. Once Jade's Mission started, we knew we had to get over to KCK, outreach is much needed over there. So we decided to divide our time between KCMO and KCK. A couple weeks ago when we first started outreach, we spend our 3rd day in KCK. Marilyn and I kept racking our brains trying to remember where Blackie lived, neither one of us could remember. This past weekend, after spending some time in KCMO, we headed over to KCK in search of Blackie and others that needed our help. On the way to KCK, it hit me! I somehow instantly remembered the street this dog lived on. We headed over. We expected to hang a fly bag and fix Blackie up. When we pulled in the drive way, Blackie didn't even raise his head to look at us. I went to the door and the boy that answered said that Blackie had been sick for about two months now and everyone this family had called hadn't helped Blackie. I was afraid to walk over, afraid of what we would find. Blackie was laying in the dirt that had pieces of glass and other trash in it. His water was filthy and he had no food. He didn't even move as we approached, I thought he was dead. Then he slowly raised his head and looked at us. He looked terrible! He had lost a lot of weight, his eyes were goopy, full of green gunk, and he had trouble getting up. Marilyn and I both looked at each other and knew we couldn't leave him here like this. I had no idea what was wrong with Blackie, but we knew he needed to see a vet asap! We loaded Blackie into the car and took him back to my house for the night. 

He pretty much slept the whole car ride home. We got him set up for the night and I took him to the vet the next morning. I was thinking he had some kind of respiratory infection that some antibiotics could fix. My vet took one look at him and told me he had distemper. He had all the classical symptoms. That hit me pretty hard. He also tested positive for heartworms and he was loaded with intestinal parasites. Things looked grim for Blackie, but through it all, he had a great attitude. That night I did a lot of research on distemper. There isn't a cure for it and the only treatment is supportive care. I also found out that once a dog starts to show neurological signs, things can go downhill pretty fast from there. Blackie was already at that stage. He had trouble walking, had a lot of odd head twitches, his jaw chattered uncontrollably, he fell down a lot, and ran into things. I still stayed positive. Blackie was the sweetest dog, he would just come up to me, wagging his tail, and collapse in my lap. Since Sunday, I noticed a lot of changes in Blackie's neurological problems. Everyday he had a harder time getting up and around. Yesterday, I had to hold him up so he could pee. I knew we had a tough decision to make. After talking with some of our volunteers, we knew we had to do what was best for Blackie. 

After school yesterday, I took Blackie outside and we sat in the grass while he laid next to me for some love. I made a call to the vet and took Blackie on one last car ride (he loved car rides). He was happy as can be at the vet and laid down in my lap for the last time. He let out a huge sigh as he passed away, it was like a sigh of relief to be leaving this world that was so cruel to him. Blackie lived his life on a chain, but not anymore. We can't think of the bad parts, we have to think that for the last week of his life, he knew he was loved. He got to live inside, he felt clean and cared for (he got a bath, ears cleaned, and a pedicure!), he got three meals a day and fresh water, he got to run free outside without the jerk of a chain. Now he can run free forever without the sickness that ended his life. I hope Jade was the first dog he saw when he entered heaven. It breaks our hearts to have let him go, but we knew it would have only gotten worse for Blackie. He left this world knowing he was loved. The world works in mysterious ways, I don't know what made me instantly remember where Blackie lived, but I think God I did. If we wouldn't have shown up that day, he would have died a slow, lonely death in his dirt pit. Thank you so much to everyone that donated for Blackie's recovery, it means so much to us! All the extra donations that we raised for him will go to the next animal that needs our help! 

Blackie is being privately cremated at Rolling Acres, and I have paid, personally, for his ashes to be returned to Jade's Mission. There is a beautiful field near my house where his ashes will be spread so he can be free forever.