It is with a heavy heart that I share the sad news about Mr. R, who was humanely euthanized yesterday by our medical team. As many of you have recently heard his story, Mr. R sustained a traumatic head injury when he was only one month old. This was not the outcome we had hoped for, nor did we anticipate it would come so quickly on the heels of sharing Mr. R’s story with you. But this is our reality as we serve high-risk animals, and we choose not to withhold his entire story from those who support us in our mission.
We shared Mr. R’s story only two days ago – a young pup who came to the GTHS for observation, assessment, and medical care – something that we at the GTHS were uniquely positioned to offer with having a hospital and veterinarian on staff.
Over the weeks that our team was monitoring Mr. R, we became more concerned that no amount of time would be able to reverse the neurological damage he had sustained. With Mr. R still unable to see and having circling behaviors induced by loud sounds, all symptoms were indicative of a permanent brain lesion. It was determined by our veterinarian, after completing repeated neurological exams and radiographs, that Mr. R’s long-term quality of life was guarded. The kindest last thing we could do for him was to let him go.
We are heartbroken that Mr. R was not able to overcome the insurmountable challenges he faced.
We are grateful to the incredible team of GTHS staff and volunteers who cared for Mr. R with so much love and compassion, even when it was evident that Mr. R would not recover. From our medical team, who did everything possible to give Mr. R a fighting chance, to our foster volunteers who provided him with a safe environment, where his needs could be met, and he could experience a warm and loving home.
We are grateful for the overwhelming support we have received from our donors and community over the past few days. The funds raised because of Mr. R’s story will ensure that the GTHS can continue to offer compassionate care to the most vulnerable pets who come to us for lifesaving support. Because of you, we are able to help more pets like Mr. R.
If you have questions or want to hear more about Mr. R’s journey, feel free to reach out. We are here to provide support and offer any additional information you might need.
Sincerely,
Karen Marsh
Interim Executive Director, GTHS
