Luna – December 2022

It is with a very heavy heart that I write today. In August of 2013, my then-husband adopted Luna from WAMAL. When we separated/divorced in 2018, he was unable to care for her, and I opted to keep her here in her home. At the time, I notified WAMAL that I would be keeping Luna with support from my next door neighbors. Our arrangement has been amazing, and has ensured that Luna was nearly always with someone, got walked or taken hiking nearly every day, and usually did not sit home alone all day while I was at work.

During the last two years, Luna had been having a number of health issues. It seemed there was always something, between dental problems, wasp sting reactions, skin infections, arthritis, and eye infections. She was super sweet and compliant through all of the care and treatment. In August she developed a front leg limp, which seemed to be arthritis spreading combined with constantly jumping in and out of my Subaru (we went so many places together). In October I discovered that she had a large lump on her side. It turned out to be an intrusive lipoma, which her vet removed. Unfortunately, after that we investigated the limp, and the biopsy revealed osteosarcoma.  When treatment options were discussed, I learned that she could be put on chemotherapy, but the focus would be pain management, and she wouldn’t be hiking or taking long walks with the neighbors at all anymore. Luna did not respond adequately to the gabapentin, and completely stopped using that leg. Her vet said she was in excruciating pain, and there was nothing else to do. A consultation with a second vet confirmed that it was time to say goodbye to my sweet girl.

On December 14, Luna had seven different friends come to the house to bid her farewell. It could have been three times that many, because she was so loved, but for the pandemic.

River’s Release came to our home on December 15, and surrounded by loved ones (me, the amazing neighbors, my daughter, my son-in-law, and a dear friend, Luna made her way to the rainbow bridge.

Luna came to us as a very badly behaved wild thing. I didn’t think we would be able to keep her at that time because she terrified me. Over time, with love and consistent training, she became “the goodest good dog”, and completely won over everyone who met her. She changed me profoundly, and will forever remain in our hearts.

Thank you for the work you do