Kate: In Memory

Dachshunds

The request wasn't out of the ordinary. A shelter in a Fort Worth suburb was packed to overflowing with dogs and many needed rescue. One of them was a small female dachshund, reported to be very skinny but very sweet. "Can anyone rescue her?" Our resources already were stretched, but we said yes. We saw her picture, and named her Kate.

CTDR rescued Kate from the shelter. Unfortunately, we weren't able to save her from a disease that had taken her all of her body, but not yet all of her spirit.

Kate rode to the vet from the shelter in her transporter's baby seat, content to sit and look out the window. She began eating at the vet and perked up a little.

We shared her picture with friends, and heard back from strangers asking about her. We know many were pulling for Kate. We were hopeful she could be saved and nursed back to health. She deserved her second chance.

But after learning that Kate had a large mass on her abdomen, likely a tumor, and then having the diagnosis of advanced kidney and lung cancer confirmed via ultrasound, we made the difficult but necessary decision to free Kate of her body and send her on to her next life. We considered many options for her, including letting her live out whatever life she had left as one of our CTDR Hospice dogs. When we learned she was often restless, shaking and panting, and was still not gaining weight, we knew the kindest thing was to ease her pain.

Kate reminds us that we can't save them all, no matter how much we wish we could. But we're asking you to help us ensure that her short time with us is not in vain, because there are many dogs we can save with your help.

Can you make a donation in her memory so we don't have to worry about paying for our vet bills?

Can you foster a dachshund in your home so we can say yes, we've got room for one more?

Can you sign up as a volunteer with us to help with home visits, fund raisers and transports, to help more dachshunds find their forever homes?

We know Kate would thank you.