In Search of the Most Special Family in the World

Our girl, Molly, came into our shelter just a few months ago as an unclaimed stray. We recognized her instantly as a purebred Chesapeake Bay Retriever. She is gorgeous and smart - very smart. She is loving with all people; a happy, sweet dog with personality plus and we all love her!

Molly needed a lot of brushing as she had blown her winter coat. Next came the diet, as she was quite a bit overweight when she arrived! She quickly showed us just how smart she is. She sits, shakes and speak on command. She also knows how to command you, too. She will bark at you when she wants to go out or if it is her suppertime and you are taking a bit too long to get Her Majesty her dinner! Molly walks very well on a leash and never pulls.

We thought for sure that someone would be looking for Molly. We ran ads in the paper, called vets from all over and hung posters of her as we tried to reunite her with her owner.

While grooming Molly, we noticed several lumps on her underside and a small, fatty tumor on her tail. We decided to have her spayed and at the same time, have her tumors removed and biopsied. It turns out that Molly was already spayed. This was no random stray, but a dog that has received some care.

Then, the unimaginable happens.

We learn a week after her testing that Molly has mammary cancer. Yes, our sweet, loving, special girl has cancer. We are all devastated.

This news is always a terrible blow, but for Molly, it seems so very unfair. Obviously, her life has not been fun and easy. She came to us ungroomed, dirty and collarless. She was extremely overweight. Not a soul made an attempt to locate her. Whomever owned her did not have her spayed until she was older, which increased the chances of cancer. We had envisioned Molly being adopted into a loving home where she could spend the rest of a long life, loved and treated with nothing but kindness. But now what?

We spoke with the vet about our options with Molly. The vet told us that, generally, people will just take their dog home and if the tumors come back, they will have them removed again. If the dog has reached the end of a comfortable life at that point, they will have their friend euthanized. Molly could go years without tumors regrowing, or it could only be months. We are all pretty certain that she is not in any pain. She certainly a spry gal!

So what options does a shelter have? If she were my dog, of course she'd just come home and we'd take everything day by day. But she's not my dog. I have four dogs already and Molly is not the most dog-friendly girl in the world.

We were about to set a date to have her put to sleep, but we stopped. Are we not giving people enough credit or enough of a chance to know this girl? There must be some very special person or family out there who would be willing to take Molly into their life and give her the love and home she certainly deserves. This family is out there: we only have to find them. They will know that Molly still has a right to some fine days and fine companionship. They will not pity her; but love her. They will not be concerned every minute about how much time she may or may not have; they will cherish each day that they have with her. When the time comes, they will know it will be the kindest gift to a friend to have her put to sleep. And when Molly's time does come, whether it is in weeks, months or many years from now, they will never regret having taken her into their home.

Are you or someone you know that special person? Then you could also be very blessed, indeed.

Note: Molly is no longer available for adoption.
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