An expensive dog, but worth every penny!

This is an update on Lacy, a dog my wife and I adopted from the shelter a couple of years ago. She was surrendered by her former owners because they were moving. She was 9 years old at the time. We assume she was an outdoor dog and may have been chained most of her life. When we took her in as a foster, she quickly became one of our favorite dogs. She loved the chance to be in the house with people, and would lay at our feet and give looks of great appreciation for what we had done for her. She never caused us a bit of trouble from the beginning, and still doesn't to this day.

Shortly after we took her in, we found out she was heartworm positive on a routine vet visit. Paw Pals paid for her treatment, and she spent the next few months recuperating. She was supposed to go on a transport to the east coast through a rescue that adopts out many Labs and Lab mixes in that area. By this time, we were pretty attached to her and couldn't bear the thought of shipping her off to an unknown home far away. She already thought she had found her home in us. She did. We adopted her.

Lacy hasn't been the healthiest dog, but has been very happy and fairly active. She has been overweight from the beginning and absolutely lives for her meals and any treats we might give her. How can you resist a face like that knowing what she's been through?

Earlier this week, we found out Lacy is diabetic and will require twice daily shots and a special diet for the rest of her life. This could easily run into around $100.00 a month. That doesn't sound too bad until you know how many other pets we have at our house, and how we already spend thousands of dollars per year on food, vet care, heartworm preventatives, and all the other costs that come with responsible pet ownership. Regardless, Lacy is worth it and we will let her live out her life in our home the way she deserves it. She is 11 now, and the 2 years we have given her so far have easily meant more to her that her first 9 years.

I'm sure many of the rest of you have stories like this about pets that you have gone the extra mile for. Some people might think we're crazy. We all know we're doing what's right and will continue to do it as long as we're able. Thank you to all of you that think the way we do. The world is a better place for animals because of you. We all still have a lot of work to do, but it's stories like these that make it worth trying.

Rick