In the U.K., Nicola Harrison was serving as a volunteer at a kennel when she started taking some of the dogs, mostly strays, home with her. She wanted them to be spared from being put down.
Since then, Nicola, a retired nurse, has started her own service, which is called Grey Muzzle Canine Hospice Project, in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. There, she cares for dogs that are approaching the end of their lives… dogs that typically have less than 6 months to live. Call it a “Bucket List” for dogs.
Nicola will throw them parties and take them out for steak dinners. They will even take a ride with Nicola or one of her group members through the McDonald’s drive-through and have some ice cream or a shake.
Says Nicola: “We take them down to the local pub – it’s really dog-friendly, and they’ll get a steak dinner too. Many have not led a very nice life too, used for breeding or guard dogs, so when they’ve become unwell, they’re not useful anymore and left. The longest I had one is one year, the shortest was two weeks. It’s so rewarding when you can make those times special. I don’t know when their birthdays are, so we throw all of them a birthday party. They just want to feel loved and safe. I really believe they should get a nice ending.”
Nicola will spend up to $500 on each dog to have them live it up for what little time they have left on this earth. She started it all on her own but now relies on donations from others to continue with her end-of-life services for these special dogs. And although she loves what she does, there, of course, is that down side.
Says Nicola: “We all get very attached to them, it’s very emotionally intense and we do mourn and grieve for them.”
And that’s certainly understandable.
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