Way back when the Coonhound Rescue website first started, the second dog ever placed online from the organization was Victoria, a 5-year-old female who had been found wandering, emaciated and with severe heartworms, near Ocala, Florida. The decision to euthanize was almost a foregone conclusion, but the rescuers were so charmed by her personality that they tried treating the heartworm instead. The treatment was successful, and Victoria eventually made the trip up to Boston to live with us.

She had a happy, long, and occasionally adventurous life here in Massachusetts. By the end, her hips were loaded with arthritis, so we had taken to carrying her upstairs to go to bed at night. She was pretty deaf as well. Still, she seemed happy, and her pain was manageable with medication. But finally old age (in the form of kidney failure) caught up with her. She was put down at Angell Memorial Hospital in Boston on Saturday, June 5, 2010. She was approximately sixteen years old.

We aren’t ready to adopt a new dog just now, but we are grateful to the organization that brought this wonderful friend to us. We will be making a donation to support your efforts in the very near future.

Thank you very much,
Mark and Nancy O’Leary