A Tribute to Charlie

Prior to coming to the Sanctuary in April, Charlie lived with his only owner in a home. After noticing Charlie was tethered outside for a couple days, a worried neighbor contacted police to do a wellness check. It was discovered that the owner sadly passed away, leaving Charlie to deal with the loss of his person and home. Being a senior dog with nowhere to go, we knew Charlie needed us for further care.

Estimated around 12-14 years old, Charlie still had plenty of pep in his step and had the sweetest smile! Though his smile was sweet, it was very apparent that he was in desperate need of some dental work. After settling into his new environment, he had 16 teeth extracted, including infectious-filled teeth, revealing an adorable, gummy smile that only Charlie could ever pull off! Once healed, Charlie seemed to feel even better than before! He looked forward to his walks around the Sanctuary, sniffing out every single treat that might’ve fallen out of someone’s pocket (and succeeding to find every one)! He loved his mid-afternoon snoozes, whether it was on the couch, in the sun, on a bed, or even in someone’s car! You name it, Charlie probably took a nap there!

The Dog Team also worked with Charlie to try and potty train him. After so many years of not being potty trained, it was a bit difficult for him to adjust to a new way of life. Therefore, staff made sure he had a room with his own personal entrance to his own personal fenced-in yard so he could come and go as he pleased. Though, he often would take naps outside in the sun more than use it for the bathroom! Charlie even made another senior friend at our Sanctuary, Kiwi. They had lovely walks together and enjoyed each other’s company in the cottage. Kiwi really loved Charlie, and would even try to get the old geezer to play, though Charlie just wanted to snooze the day away!

For anyone that has met Charlie knows that he was such an incredibly sweet dog. Seeing a senior dog with so much light and happiness, you couldn’t help but smile, especially seeing his toothless grin smiling back at you. Everything seemed to be going great for Charlie and the team was ready to start searching for another home for him, until he started experiencing mysterious nose bleeds. Suddenly, Charlie had a seizure and upon further investigation, tumors were found in his brain and nasal cavity. Despite being a senior, we were all shocked by the news. With his health rapidly declining, we helped Charlie end his suffering in his favorite blanket, surrounded by his friends at the Sanctuary that loved and cherished him every day.  

Losing Charlie has reminded us to appreciate the moments we share with our loved ones, no matter how small or brief. We will hold the image of his silly, toothless, genuine smile in our hearts dearly. He brought so much light into our lives by simply being himself, letting us know to smile a little more and be gracious for another day of new adventures and memories. We will always remember you, Charlie.