A man afflicted with terminal cαncєr understands that he is nearing the end of his life, but he is most concerned about someone else: his pet dog, whose destiny is uncertain once the owner is gone.
Now, the man’s dying dream is to find the perfect home for his beloved pet before he goes away.
David Fine of Plainville, Massachusetts, rescued his pet dog Babs, a Shar-Pei/Boxer mix, from a shelter ten years ago, and the two have been inseparable since.
Sadly, the two will soon have to say goodbye: David, 63, is dying of cαncєr.
According to WJAR, David was treated for leukemia and diagnosed with vascular disease before receiving the tragic news that he had stage 4 lung cαncєr.
David chose not to undergo therapies because, while they might have given him a little more time, they would also have reduced his quality of life.
Five months ago, doctors told him he had six months to live. With time running short, David’s first goal is to locate a new home for Babs.
“I had told myself I was never gonna get another pet because it breaks my heart to lose them,” David told WJAR. “Unfortunately, she’s going to outlive me this time.”
For David, who does not have children, his devoted dog is the most important thing in his life. “It’s like trying to find a home for your child,” he continued.
“She is the most important thing at the moment. My fate is decided, but hers is not.”
David expresses a desire to see Babs transition and settle into a new house while still living. When he enters hospice care, he will hand over Babs to her new family. While he claims that giving up his puppy would “kill him,” he will “rest at peace” knowing she is safe and protected.
He’s getting help from animal rescuer Jennie Mann, who put the word out on social media and is screening potential candidates. She wrote that David is a “sweet kind-hearted man” and that finding a home for Babs is his “dying wish.”
“His dog is his life,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “He said he can’t be laid to rest, until he knows his baby will be taken care of, when he is gone.”
“He wants someone who will love her like he does,” she added. “He wants her to understand he did not abandon her, and that he has passed. He wants her to feel comfortable going to a new home so she doesn’t feel like she lives with a stranger.”
Jennie writes that Babs is a loving and affectionate dog with no behavioral issues, but she does not get along with other dogs and needs to be the only pet in the household.
In a May 10 update, Jennie said she has been meeting with interested adopters, though many of them have pets at home or live too far away, so the search continues.
But hopefully, they will be able to find a perfect home for Babs before David’s time comes.
It’s a sad story, but it’s beautiful to think that David is most concerned about his beloved dog during his final days 😢❤️ We hope that they find a perfect home for Babs very soon!
