Our Fospice program is perhaps one of the most rewarding programs we offer at the Brant County SPCA. It places animals who are terminally ill in incredible homes to live out their golden days. It takes a special type of person to take on a Fospice animal, and we are extremely thankful for the incredible people who come forward to provide care for the animals who need it most. Animals like Vinny and Boof.
From Vinny’s Fospice Family:
For those of you following his journey, our sweet Vinny passed away on May 1st, 2023. I have never known a dog who had such a profound impact on others in such a short period of time, they really should make a Disney movie about him. It’s hard to put into words how much he changed our lives. For those of you who didn’t know Vinny, he was a sweet soul. His loves were simple- walks, cuddles and snacks. Vinny was grateful for having a place to call home and I was grateful to be able to give that to him. He brought joy and light to our home every day and even though he is gone, his memories still fill our home with laughter and warmth.
Vinny was LOVED, and I don’t mean just by me and my husband. Those who knew him at the SPCA can attest to this, but everyone was drawn to his personality. On walks he would charm anyone he came across which changed a lot of people’s perspectives on adopting or fostering senior dogs. He even converted my partner’s family from dog indifferent people to dog lovers. So much so, that he was even welcome in their home for sleepovers (and they had never let animals in their homes).
The day before Vinny’s passing, I reached out to those who loved him and gave them the news. I was not anticipating the line up of people who came to our house. For hours people stopped in to thank the beautiful blonde dog that touched their hearts. If love could have saved him, Vinny would have lived forever.
Right before his passing he became a big brother, it’s bittersweet knowing he didn’t get to watch her grow up, but I know he was sticking it out until he knew she arrived safely and I had things under control. I will always be grateful for the time spent with him, it was a gift. We planted an apple tree in his honour of his favourite snack and as a reminder of one of the best dogs we will ever have the pleasure of meeting.
Boof’s Inspiring Tail
This year we also had to say goodbye to Boof; a spunky, sweet rottweiler blend who was diagnosed with cancer. Teresa and her family could not have cared less about her diagnosis, and Boof found her way into their home (and hearts).
After some time in their home, Teresa soon discovered that Boof was deaf. However, that didn’t stop her from being the most loving and loyal companion to her new family. Teresa even taught Boof certain signs to communicate with her, from sit, to stay, to come and “good girl”!
One of Boof’s favorite places in the world was the beach. Teresa knew this well and they made it a regular part of their routine. They would put on her “jewellery” (which is what they called her collar) and made their way to the waves, saying hello to everyone along the way. While some passing by might have felt intimidated by her breed, Boof dispelled any misconceptions with her friendly demeanor.
“Boof never judged anyone, even if people judged her. It didn’t matter who you were, what you wore, or what your background was, she loved everyone, and changed the way a lot of people saw rottweilers”, Teresa recalled.
Teresa and her family only had Boof in their lives for a year and a half. They taught her how to get the most out of life, and in turn Boof has reminded us not to judge a book by it’s cover.
Though they’ve left our sides, they’ll never leave our hearts.
Farewell to our Fospice friends
If you’d like to support our Fospice Program, please DONATE HERE
