In the Beginning
When Octavia arrived at rescue in the the fall of 2013, she was only supposed to stay for a few days and then move up north with her younger sister, Cricket. Once she was with us, though, we realized that this special senior girl was in no shape for transport. She had cataracts, a mouth full of rotting teeth, a cyst on her chest, and she was very weak. There was no way were going to put her on a van and say goodbye.
We took her for a dental, and she lost every single one of her teeth. Her cataracts was irreversible as well. She sprung back after getting rid of all of those nasty teeth, but bloodwork done a few months later would show a slight positive that she was in renal failure. Because of that, we thought that she would be a sanctuary dog.
Think Again …
Jeff and Cathy Carelson drove all of the way up from Florida to help us on spring vol day in 2014. They had lost their beautiful JRT girl, Matell, and were still hurting, but were ready to look for another pup to take home. They met all of our young and healthy babies, but they fell in love with Octavia. They knew her situation and they didn’t care: They wanted to give her the best life possible.
Octavia’s Paradise
Giving Octavia the best life possible is exactly what Jeff and Cathy have done since taking her home in the spring of 2014. They gave everything any dog could ask for: Yummy homemade meals, ramps around the house, goggles for those extra-bright days, cushy mattresses (she always chose her rugs), supervised time in the pool, and more TLC than she had probably known in the 11 years leading up to her second life. They even brought her home a younger sister, Annie, to keep her company.
Her parents have remained in contact with Mama Donna and Team Russell, posting updates and photos. Any time any of us visited the Florida panhandle, we were invited over to see how she was doing. It was evident to all of us: She was living in puppy paradise.
Time Has Come Today
Unfortunately, Octavia continued to struggle with health issues, mostly an incessant cough that could not be treated and left her exhausted most of the time. It had became progressively worse over the past couple of months and, after much consideration, Jeff and Cathy said goodbye today and let her go to play with the Rainbow Bridge.
It doesn’t matter how much we prepare ourselves and try to let go; it’s never easy. Octavia touched so many of us at one time or another. She was a fighter who never let anything get her down, but she was also so easygoing and loving, too. We cannot thank Jeff and Cathy enough for giving her such an incredible life. They lived day-by-day with her, but they made every day count.
