An Ending for Ella
In spite of all of our best wishes, Ella’s story did not have the happy ending we all were hoping for. Ella’s veterinarians rushed her into surgery late yesterday, once our fundraiser looked as if it was going to raise enough to fund her surgery.
Once under anesthetic, Ella was found to be suffering from advanced carcinoma. Her veterinarians were stunned to discover that this litte dog had been suffering, likely for months, with a growth that had left her with almost no airway.
There is a chance that, if we had been allowed to help Ella sooner, her story could have had a happy ending, that Ella could have lived happily ever after. It’s easy to get bitter about things like this, and I think everyone involved in Ella’s story has had their share of deeply bitter moments when thinking about how this little dog must have been suffering, but Ella, like Ema before her, would not have understood that sentiment.
Ella, Ema, CJ and all of our other ‘last chance dogs’, never felt bitterness and resentment. Instead, in the last hours and days of their lives, they felt something that had been in short supply in their lives before we met them – they felt loved. For a brief while, these dogs who had been dying as they lived, unloved, unmourned and unknown, had a network of friends and supporters from quite literally around the world. For a few moments, they were cradled in the arms of all of us, who so desperately wanted them to survive, and to over come their odds.
It is easy to see these French Bulldogs suffering and to become overwhelmed. We can think “There are so many, that I can do nothing – I’m a drop in a bucket.” We look away, because we are afraid that their pain will overcome us, and we’ll give in to despair. But despair is not what our last chance dogs are about – they are about redemption, and love.
So, like you, I’m going to keep on reaching out when I hear about dogs like Ella, and dogs like Ema, and dogs like CJ – because I want to them to know that someone out there cares about them, and that their lives have not been lived for nothing.
Most of Ella’s donations were spent on her veterinary care, but the balance left over will be used to start a new fund for those “Last Chance Frenchies” that we sometimes encounter – the ones who we all know might not make it, the ones who require us all to take a leap of faith. I hope that some of you will be willing to take that leap with me.
Here is a link to Ella’s memorial on French Bulldog Village.
lovely put! i’m really happy i was able to give to Ella’s fund (along with Emma & CJ too). its a sad thing to loose these amazingly resilient doggies, but its a very proud thing when you can say that they had closure being 100% loved and cared for.
as for her owner, i believe in karma. she is in fact a horrible person.
I wish I understood. Spoiling my dogs makes me happy. They give me so much joy, more than most of the humans I’ve had in my life. As you are fond of saying, mean people suck.
Yes, at least they knew some love at the end. I am going to go cuddle my dogs now.
This just breaks my heart. I will never, until the day I die, understand how idiots like Ellas former owner could do that to a poor defenseless animal. I’m torn between wanting to kick something or go kiss and cuddle my two babies. I am just glad that for a few minutes of her life, Ella knew what it was like to have a loving touch and some comfort. Godspeed Ella. You won’t suffer anymore. Sleep easy little girl.
It is a sad and tragic ending for Ella. I’m a home for last chance dogs and I try to do the best I can for them. While I don’t condone what Ellas owner did, Im also not in her shoes. Was it fear, ignorance, lack of funds that led to this I don’t know. What I fear is that someone won’t turn their dog over to rescue because of the verbal backlash they will get over the Internet.my first frenchie rescue had to have a permanent tracheotomy, his owner didn’t want to spend the money but at the same time she was vacationing in Italy. I spent money I didn’t have and he lived another two and a half years. Alfred brought me much joy and led me to do more for frenchie rescue. Did I have some choice words I would have liked to express to her, you bet, but had I done so then maybe her next dog might not go to rescue. I awoke this morning to news that a nine day old baby was killed by the family dogs in my state and there have been four puppymill raids in the past few months here. Maybe more effort should be put into outreach and education so that there won’t be more Ellas that come to us to late.
I am so very, very sorry but at least Ella knew love and care and went on before us knowing that. Thank you so much for helpnig her.