All animals that come to a shelter come with a sad story.
But, sometimes, that story is wrapped in love.
Among the most heartbreaking rescues are those of dogs and cats whose owners die. Or learn they are about to die.
Mimi and Gucci are a bonded pair. For five years they have run, slept, eaten and cuddled together. For five years, they have been each other’s everything.
On Feb. 16, they were brought to the Naperville Area Humane Society (www.naperhumane.org) together.
Their owner, whose love for them supersedes his heartbreak over losing them, has terminal cancer. He also has other health issues that, combined, make caring for the dogs nearly impossible.
“He made the hard decision to surrender his beloved pets to ensure they would be safe and cared for in the future,” said Christine Natarelli, executive director for NAHS.
He chose this particular shelter, she said, “because we’re known for our compassionate care and dedication to finding loving homes for animals in need.”
Gucci and Mimi have quickly become favorites among shelter staff and volunteers, Natarelli said. Everyone has “been captivated by their bond, their playful energy and their affectionate nature,” she said.
Still, Natarelli said, the kindest thing they can do for these two pitbull mixes is to get them rehomed.
“They’re both very well behaved, potty trained, know their commands – sit and stay,” she said.
Seven-year-old Gucci is a 66-pound male, while 5-year-old Mimi, a female, weighs 57 pounds.
In a statement, the dogs’ owner said, “Gucci was the first dog I could care for all by myself. I rescued him out of a crawl space basement when he was a puppy. He was always my right arm and he was always with me. He’s my boy. He seemed content being the only dog in the house and getting all the attention, but I worked a lot of hours and I wanted Gucci to have a playmate while I wasn’t home, so I got Mimi when she was 6 weeks old. Mimi walked right up to Gucci when I brought her home. She always ran to him when she was scared or wanted to play. She’s always been a daddy’s girl and it was so sweet watching her grow up, but Gucci is her whole world. She would be devastated without him.”
The Des Plaines resident added that as much as he’d like to “be there with Mimi and Gucci and give them kisses,” he knows it’s best “not to put them through that. When I look at my phone everyday there is a picture of them as my screensaver. I miss them a lot, but I feel so much better knowing they are with the Naperville Area Humane Society and I want to do everything I can to help them find a good home.”
Natarelli said, “The shelter is searching for a family who will provide them with the care and attention they deserve, a home that will offer the stability they need to heal from the loss of their loving owner.”
Both dogs, she added, are good with children and other dogs. “They enjoy getting belly rubs, playing tug together with their toys, and going for walks,” she said.
Though NAHS has taken in dogs and cats after their owner has died, Natarelli said the shelter doesn’t often receive animals whose owner has a terminal illness.
“Fortunately, both dogs came with lots of information. Too often we receive an animal and we don’t know their backstory,” she said.
“We also don’t get many bonded pairs, but we do sometimes have animals that bond while they’re here in the shelter,” she said.
The fee to adopt Gucci is waived, thanks to the shelter’s Lucky 7 fund, which covers adoption fees for animals that are 7 or older. To adopt Mimi, the cost is $350.
At Peoples Animal Welfare Society (pawstinleypark.org) in Tinley Park, President Terri Buckley said, “There are so many sad stories out there.
“We’ve had people give up pets because a parent died. Recently, we had a caller ask if we would take a dog because their son died suddenly. It was his dog,” she said.
Turned out, the family just needed time to figure out a plan, she said.
“We held the dog for a few days, until after the services and things settled down. Then they were able to just come and pick it up,” Buckley said.
Other situations, while just as dire, don’t have happy endings.
“We took in a dog today because the owner lost their home and was living in their car. It happens all the time,” she said.
Sometimes people lose their house and have to move into an apartment, many of which don’t allow pet, she said.
“I think that’s one of the reasons a lot of animals are getting dumped in (unsafe) places. People lose their homes and shelters are full. What do you do with your cat or dog?” she said.
In other cases, people relinquish an animal because a family member is receiving chemotherapy or some kind of treatment that makes it unsafe for the pet, Buckley said.
“Women call us because they’re pregnant and can’t go near litter boxes,” she said.
Buckley said it would help if pet owners had a plan should their situation change and make them unable to care for their animal.
Donna Vickroy is an award-winning reporter, editor and columnist who worked for the Daily Southtown for 38 years. She can be reached at donnavickroy4@gmail.com.
