FOR MAXIMILIAN
PASSED – 2022
When you see the sunrise, think of me.
When the cool breeze touches you, know I am free.
When you feel the sorrow of us being apart,
Know I am not lost; I am a part of your heart.
by Stephanie Laird
He came to us in January of 2020. At the time, he weighed in at 104 lbs – large soulful eyes framed by huge ears and standing on long, long legs. From the day he arrived, there was no doubt that he was going to be a medical challenge. There were just so many things that he was dealing with including heart failure. Our goal was to get him to the point where he could have a good quality of life, where he could be happy and enjoy some of the simple pleasures of a dog’s life like rolling in the grass and going for walks in the pastures and getting excited when the deer passed by the yard. And he got there!! He ate very special food and had to take a lot of medication. He got up to a healthier 117 lbs and settled in to live life on his terms. It took a dedicated effort on the part of our staff who loved him and attended to all of his daily needs and our wonderful veterinarians whose medical care kept him comfortable. But truly, the rest came from him…
Maximilian was an inspiration to us all. He just never gave up!! It was as though, despite everything that he had to deal with, he was going to enjoy every minute that he had. Perhaps that was a large part of why he beat all of the odds and, despite the prognosis of 6 to 8 weeks that he was given in 2020, he was with us for 2 ½ years.
And now he is gone. We will mourn his loss, each in our own way. And as time passes, we will be able to remember his goofy antics, how he loved his walks, how he enjoyed his baths, how his idea of a fun time was to bump his 117 lbs of bulk into you and perhaps most of all the spirit and love of life he showed us every day. We were blessed to have Maximilian in our care. We are richer for having had him in our lives…
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