Dog Diagnosed with Cancer Goes on a Bucket List Adventure with Her Mom
The world has always been grateful for the existence of dogs. Their presence has given humans enough reason to live and be happy. They are sunshine bringers, the warm blanket to your cold nights, and the fur baby that loves your existence as much as you adore them. It’s amazing how dogs can effortlessly brighten a person’s life, but they can easily break hearts as well. A day will come when you have to bid them farewell for the very last time. It might be due to an accident, they went missing, or an incurable health complication. Sadly, dogs could also acquire cancer, and it’ll be one of the hardest things you’ll ever witness.
Although medications and chemotherapy are available, your pet will still feel a lot of pain and discomfort. For this reason, even though treatments can prolong her dog’s life, Sam Stanley chose a different path. Instead of spending Dolly’s remaining days in chemo, Sam thought of a way to spend more time with her. She knew what was best for the dog who came into their lives when she was eight weeks old. Dolly has been her long-time companion, and it was a tough decision to accept her fate. Sam still had a lot of things she wanted to do with Dolly, so she created a bucket list — an adventure they’ll pursue before the final days.
“In March last year, I found a lump as I was giving her tummy rub. I had a feeling that it was bad, so I took it to the vets. They got her into surgery pretty quick, and we found out a few weeks later that it was cancer,” Sam told Good Morning America. Dolly went through chemotherapy once, then Sam decided it wouldn’t be beneficial for her. They all wanted to witness Dolly happy during her remaining days and actually active despite having cancer. One by one, Sam and her fiance took Dolly on trips based on their bucket list. They wanted to make sure that they gave all their time to their precious Dolly.
“So the first thing that we did was we took her to the Lake District. I think from when she was two years old, I just wanted to take her on a canoe. I don’t know why, I just thought the pictures would be really cute,” Sam shared. Aside from the Lake District, they took her camping and hired a camper van in the summer. Sam also mentioned that Dolly loves beaches, so they made sure that it was part of their trips. Dolly seems so energetic that you won’t even notice that she’s actually been diagnosed with cancer. Sam also took Dolly to her family home, where the dog met her mom, dad, and sister again.
It was a short bucket list, as they were informed that some dogs lasted only about eight months with this condition. But Dolly’s life continued, so Sam had to add more things to their bucket list. Moreover, she has involved herself in charity since Dolly’s condition inspired her to help other pet parents. “So there’s a vet charity in the UK called PDSA. They treat pets no matter the family circumstances. So if people are struggling, especially in the cost-of-living crisis, they’re somebody that people can turn to for help,” she explained.
Sam joined a London marathon, along with her aunt, to raise funds for PDSA. She was indeed inspired by Dolly — the dog impacted her life more than anything else. With her dog’s remaining days, Sam just wanted to make more memories with her. She wants to witness Dolly having a nice life — filled with happy days before she permanently goes away. It’s a saddening thought, especially when she had made a mark on each person she touched. Dolly will be forever remembered as a playful and adventurous dog, well-loved by her family.
