A Tribute to Scout

It was an honor to have cared for you, Scout

A beautiful grey and white, unneutered pit bull was found by CT Animal Control as a stray. He acted older, moved slowly and was definitely uncomfortable… He had large, poorly healed wounds and infections on the right side of his head. It looked like something his size or bigger bit him in the face. He had very bad, recurring ear infections that were initially treated at the municipal shelter. With his open wounds and infections, he would not be able to stay long term or receive the care needed if he stayed within the municipal shelter, but they knew he needed a second chance. They reached out to us for support. With his friendly demeanor, gentle ways, and need for medical care, this beautiful boy named Scout came to Our Companions Animal Sanctuary.

Here is where Scout became part of our family.  Scout came to the Sanctuary from the municipal shelter at the end of 2021. We continued care for his ear infections, worked with him on successful outside potty time, and loose leash walking as he was extra excited to meet his new people friends! Scout was clear – he loved people and attention!

With Scout’s recurring ear infections, certain antibiotics were not becoming effective. There were concerns he was starting to become antibiotic resistant, and never find any relief with this chronic issue. After a consultation with a specialist, they recommended we move forward with removing his ear canal in his right ear. The surgery was a Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA) and would relieve him from constant infection and inflammation. After the surgery, Scout never experienced another ear infection again! However, given the sensitive area of where the surgery took place, he did experience a side effect of temporary paralysis in his right eye. This poor guy couldn’t catch a break! This lead to daily eye ointment to help flush out his eye since he wasn’t able to blink fully. On top of that, Scout was also put on Apoquel for allergies, topical creams for skin issues, and ate a special diet of Sensitive Stomach kibble with added Flax seed for fiber. It was safe to say, Scout was in the right place to get the care he needed at the Sanctuary!

After he settled into Sanctuary life, began to heal from surgery, and was receiving the proper care he needed, he really got a new “leash” on life! Initially thought to be a senior with his slowed attitude, after he healed, our vet determined he must be a few years younger than the “Old Man” seen at the municipal shelter.

Yes – Old Man was his nick name before he received medical care and TLC!

We noticed Scout started to get over excited and mouthy since healing from surgery, a new burst of energy most likely because he was in less pain. We worked with Scout on loose leash walking, calming routines, and appropriate play behaviors.

Scout was so eager for friends, we helped him learn independent time was fun too! He was demanding of our attention, so we began introducing enrichment toys and puzzles to ease his alone time. We began crate training with his favorite – CHICKEN PIECES! But we learned he wasn’t too picky with his treats either.

Scout was known to join volunteer orientation, welcoming new friends by cuddling with them on the couch. He was great at meeting new people and generally loved all sorts of pets, playtimes, and snuggles. We posted Scout up for adoption, hoping to find a Pitty-loving home where someone could continue his much-needed care, and give him endless adventures and snuggles!

It’s fair to assume, we may have been the first “homelike” environment for Scout, and certainly his first safe space. A real home is always the goal, and Scout seemed to find true comfort with his house time, tv watching in the living room, going for car rides (often dragging his handler to the car if he could!) and most importantly: being around PEOPLE! By the end of 2025, Scout had graduated from multiple Our Companions classes and was successful in receiving a The Nose Knows badge with his scent work. He seemed happy with Sanctuary life, routines, and all of his people friends but his body was still failing.

As Scout aged into his actual senior years, his medical needs increased as did symptoms of new and chronic pain. He was a medical case from the day he was found and stayed in need of continuous care throughout his life.

We remember in awe how Scout was always happy to participate in his medical care and was so quick to learn about cooperative care. Our Canine Wellness Manager deemed him our best patient, even with his long road of care that he had to walk: “Even though many of our car rides were to the vet’s office, he was always ready and willing to go on an adventure! You would have thought that he’d associate my car with times that he didn’t feel well or needed to be checked out by the doctor, but he remained happy and willing every time!”

In 2024, Scout tore his left ACL. Given the lengthy rehab and recovery, we paused his adoption search to ensure he could heal first before heading to a home. He had surgery to repair it, followed by bed rest and physical therapy. That same year we opened the Valerie Friedman Healing Center and installed an underwater treadmill. We were able to add hydrotherapy to Scout’s routine and healing. Scout was our first success story with acclimating to the water, using the treadmill without fear, and we saw an increase in his mobility and gait! We noticed a positive impact on his walking and a decrease in arthritis pain.

Then we had a sudden turn – As gentle as we could be with Scout, he ended up tearing his right ACL earlier this year. When one ACL goes, often the other leg is soon to follow. Poor Scout continued to be in and out of therapy, vet visits, bed rest, and would need surgery on his right ACL. While having tests done in preparation for his upcoming ACL surgery needs, Scout started to show new signs of pain with his jaw. He began to cry in pain when eating, yawning, and flinching away from pets on the head.

After several conversations with our vets, they ultimately concluded Scout would need exploratory surgery in his jaw to see what was causing the pain, potentially remove any infectious tissue, and see if that would relieve his pain. During a CT scan for his jaw, veterinarians extended the scan to his abdomen, which surprisingly revealed an adrenal tumor in the vena cava. The mass was classified as cancerous with heartbreaking feedback that he may have a year or so to live. With the ACL tear, explorative jaw surgery, and now the adrenal tumor, Scout would spend his last remaining time with ongoing surgeries, discomfort, and rehabilitation.

OC Canine staff, surgeons, and Scout’s doctors collaborated with potential plans, outcomes, and what we could do to prioritize addressing his jaw pain. At minimum, we could be looking at three different surgeries addressing all the different ailments. The ACL repair and recovery could be promising; the tumor was slow growing but fatal; his jaw pain was unknown and would need exploratory surgery. All this sandwiched on top of one another gave us great pause, right between a rock and a hard place.

His latest round of antibiotics and increased pain medications gave him some relief, but neither of these medications solve the long-term issue of his jaw pain. He could not eat nor cuddle us without cries of pain. It was not our place to keep him in pain but to give him the best last day, filled with love and good memories. We made the difficult decision to ease his pain and suffering at 11 years old, celebrating his life with him before helping him pass.

There’s no doubt his life with us was filled with love – with learning new things, new experiences, getting top-notch care, and making memories to last a lifetime. We grew with Scout, and Scout helped us learn and even heal in our own way. Scout was a pillar of strength considering all he’d been through, emitting joyous energy to all he met.

We were Scout’s home, our staff and volunteers were his family, and everyone he met was an instant friend. We said our “goodbyes” to Scout in June, yet he will always remain deep in our hearts, our organization, and our community.

Thank you to everyone who gave Scout love and support, whether it was from a far or in person. In the 5 years with us, he touched so many lives and wiggled into countless hearts – leave a comment to share your memories with Scout!