The Ballad of Sunny
In the tradition of the Wild West, people write ballads for dogs like Sunny -- the sad Labrador who waited on a hillside hoping his beloved owner would return.
Sunny was first spotted standing on a hill near Edinburg, Texas. The next day, he was still there, waiting and watching for the owner who had abandoned him. He looked heartbroken.
A local animal shelter contacted Southwest Oasis Labrador Rescue for help. Two of our volunteers drove a round trip of more than 2,000 miles over Labor Day weekend to bring him home. They named him Sunny, because of his sweet, affectionate nature.
Sunny is afflicted with a skin infection, arthritis, and heartworm -- a serious lung disease caused by parasites. Without treatment, he would have died on that hillside. Now, he is in foster care with Kim and Kevin Porter, while undergoing life-saving treatment. “Despite all the difficulties he has faced, Sunny always has a smile on his face and his tail is always wagging,” says Kim. “He loves to follow us everywhere we go!”
Sunny will never be homeless or hungry again, but his health challenges remain. His skin infection has healed, but his ability to walk has not improved, despite physical therapy. “Sunny still has a huge heart, loves his doggy-foster siblings, likes to play with them, but he can’t go for walks each morning,” says Kim.
So Kim and Kevin got him a stroller and the other dogs take turns walking with him. “He sits by the stroller each day waiting for us to load him up for his walk. We should all live out our twilight years in such fashion…enjoying a simple walk around the neighborhood.”
Kim wants whatever time Sunny has left to be the very best. “This is a true test of being a foster…and we cherish every moment of it!” Sunny was adopted by Kim and Kevin on Thanksgiving 2022.
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