Last night, we lost Fred (formerly known as Lost Boy Fred) to heart disease.

We knew the time was coming fast for us to say goodbye after just having him to the vet for a re-check earlier this week. But the time came sooner than his forever foster family was prepared for. We're thinking of them now, across the miles that separate us. Lord knows they loved this little boy. But as heartbreaking as it was to be heading to an Emergency Hospital late at night, they saw to it that Fred had himself a tasty Chicken Nugget Happy Meal on the way there. Happy Meal for a Happy Boy.

Fred always seemed to have a smile on his face and a zest for all the adventures life had to offer, even as his heart disease began to worsen. That's why I chose this blurry picture of him. It was the very first picture we took of Fred in the car ride HOME to us from the shelter. He wouldn't sit still long enough for Erica to take an award winning photo of his official Gotcha Day. Instead, she got a blurry flurry. But that was Fred. Always in a hurry for life's next surprise, excited for what awaited him just around the corner. Life was a constant joy ride for Fred. From his first joy ride home to us to his last joy ride happily devouring his chicken nuggets.

Sometimes, I must admit, I feel a bit like a pastor delivering a eulogy for a member of our parish. I don't always feel worthy of writing these tributes. Sure, I know these precious beagles. They are members of our 'church' after all and I was there to greet them when they first joined our community and we've looked after their needs ever since. But it's really the foster families that know them best, especially those that become forever foster families to palliative beagles like Fred. These foster families grow to love them more than they can ever explain in mere words.

All the moments and memories shared.

I'll never know about those things the way they do and how those special memories will have them smiling in the years to come.

But I do know one thing. Fred was and always will be part of our Family. We will always love him. And we will never forget him, no matter how blurry his picture in the BOB Family Album might be. He will always remain crystal clear in our hearts.

So once again, we'll be lighting a candle tonight. For the blurry flurry that was Fred. 

Jan 15, 2020

It's not Valentine's Day yet, we know that. But we still want to talk about Fred and his big heart if that's okay with you?

Just over 2 years ago, an abandoned little beagle that the shelter named Lost Boy Fred came into our care. He had a bad heart murmur and even collapsed while at the shelter. We were worried for him. Worried it might be too late to him.

But here he is today, sporting his favourite knit scarf and his signature smile. We love that smile. It never leaves his face. Even now that the heart medication he's been on since Day One is no longer keeping the inevitable at bay. This past Saturday, Fred took a trip to our vets. His forever foster family noticed a cough. It was something new and they feared the worst. They were right. Fred had fluid in his lungs. He is now deemed to be in heart failure. He's been put on diuretics to slow the process and all we can do is hope and pray that we have more time with Fred because Fred, you see, has stolen everyone's heart. How do I know this? I know it from the message Fred's foster mom, Erin, sent to me…

You know, I’ve been spending a lot of extra time with Fred these last couple days and I swear to you, everyone we meet says the same thing after interacting with him, “oh, doesn’t he just have the biggest heart, what a sweet boy”. I think there’s a sweet irony that the dog with the enlarged heart just happens to have the biggest proverbial heart as well. 

In difficult times like this, I try to do like the beagles we're here to save. I try to look at the bright side. Lost Boy Fred didn't stay lost back in October 2017. He came home to us and he became Found Boy Fred. And because of the extraordinary love of his forever foster family and the unwavering support of folks like you, Fred is joyfully, tail-waggingly HAPPY.

Never doubt for one minute how much you mean to us and to beagles like Fred.

Happy New Year, BOB Family. WE LOVE YOU.