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Butch's Cancer

In Memory of Our Dear Sweet Butch

We lost Butch to this world December 1, 2005 at 3:30 PM. A secondary cancer attacked Butch’s body and he spiraled down very quickly within 3 days. He was only 3 years old. He had a short life, even for a dog. We just hope that the last year and 3 months when he lived with us were fulfilling. We believe they were.

We were there the day Butch took his first step into the Surrey SPCA and we were there when he took his last breath on this earth. This sweet, sweet dog had the biggest impact on my sister. To this day, I have never seen anyone or anything have such an impact on her life. My mother once told someone that seeing a relationship form between me and my father just before he passed from this earth (who I was estranged from) was like watching the hand of god come down. I can’t think of a better description of the relationship between Sheila and Butch. I brought Butch home to foster because I knew Sheila liked him. I could never imagine the profound effect he would ultimately have on her. He taught her that all life is to be valued and there is no hierarchy in the animal world. Butch taught her there is no difference between the soul of a cow or a pig or a human or a dog or even an ant. He taught her all the things I tried to push on her over the years by just being his sweet, accepting self. There wasn’t anything Sheila wouldn’t do for Butch as he struggled with his cancer. Her whole life style changed to accommodate him. My niece Lauren once told Sheila “I can’t believe how you have changed your whole life around for Butch. I think that’s a good that you are doing that for him”.

Butch also brought many people into our lives and changed the course of Sheila’s life as she threw herself into a passion she had never had before. Outside of work, I had never seen her commit to a cause the way she has to animal welfare. Butch brought Carol Hine and SAINTS into Sheila’s life. She so believes in Carol’s vision and Butch was the pathway that brought her there.

It has devastated Sheila that Butch is gone. She says it feels like her left leg is gone as he was constantly at her side.

The moments I will remember of Butch play over and over again in my head. I remember the first time I saw Butch run after Patrick and his ears flapped in the wind. It was winter and getting cold. But Butch finally had the energy to play. I remember the first time Butch ran around and around in a field trying to hide in the long grass in the hopes that Patrick would chase him. I remember the first time I took him through an agility course (he took Lexi’s place when she was adopted) and he laughed with me when we finished the course. I remember the time I saw him romping in the green fields at SAINTS with the yellow flowers around him. He would always look back to you with a big grin and invite you into his world. There was something so infectious about his invitation and you couldn’t help but feel a high and want to go with him. He was and is a good boy and his energy has now dispersed into the heavens so that we can all share in it.

A very good friend said that Sheila was a gift to Butch and that Butch was an even greater gift to Sheila. I truly believe this. I once wrote a story about Sheila and Butch when he was first struggling through chemo. This is how I saw their relationship: “this dog taught the woman to be soft in her loyalty, love and kindness. This woman taught the dog to be fierce in his loyalty, love and kindness…. How could theirs not be a karmic tale?”

Good bye Butchy boy. I’ll see you in my dreams. Keep smiling.

March 31, 2005

As an update to Butch's bio. Butch is in remission from his cancer.
He began chemotherapy October 1st 2004. He is on a protocol called Madison Wisconsin Protocol. In his second week he went into remission.
He still continues to have chemotherapy treatments and will continue until end September early October. If you look at the picture of Butch in the kitchen - notice his head is held up high. Butch couldn't hold his head up like that when we got him in September he was so weak. Butch has become our little miracle dog.