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The shelter Zeus spent most of his life in was closing right before the COVID lockdown in March of 2020. We took him in and tried our hardest to make up for all the love and family he had missed out on. He had such a hard life, but he was the most sweet and gentle soul.
His pet bio described him as an inside boy who would go outside to do his business but wanted to come right back in, and as being so laid back he would get picked on by the other dogs. The day he came to our home he carried a donkey light up chew tow in his mouth. He was so fucking adorable.
He took to the comforts of his new home very quickly and we were bonded almost right away. When lockdown went in place we snuggled on the sofa watched Tiger King on Netflix. He loved to go to the park and ride around the city. When I got pregnant, and we installed a car seat, he couldn't really seem to get comfortable in the back seat anymore, so he started riding shot gun instead.
While I was pregnant he would snuggle up to my belly like he knew the baby was coming soon. I was honestly a little worried about how an older shelter dog would react to having a baby around, but once she was born he was always such a patient and gentle big brother. Even when she would take his toys to claim as her own, he didn't seem to mind sharing, not even his donkey.
Last year, tumors started popping up all over Zeus. Even when we would get one removed, it seemed like 3 would pop up in its place. About month ago, Zeus would hardly touch most food we gave him. Last week, he seemed to stop eating completely, and I had to start feeding him baby food and yogurt with a syringe.
We knew the end was coming soon, so I spoke to my vet and decided I would do my best to keep him comfortable and arrange for euthanasia at home. On the vet's advice, I read rainbow bridge to his sissy to try and help explain what was happening.
I tried to make his last days full of happy memories, and when he couldn't walk to the grass at the park, I carried him. He still wouldn't eat much on his own, but did take a few table scraps and seemed to enjoy just being out doors and with his family.
Last night we read our bedtime stories together and his sissy gave him a big hug goodnight. He seemed to be savoring it. I had been planning to schedule everything for as early this week as we could, but didn't realize that would be the last time they saw each other.
When I woke up this morning, I thought he was just sleeping at the foot of my bed like always, but he was gone. It must have been within an hour or so of when I actually woke up, and I've never been more angry with myself for hitting snooze on my alarm. I wish so badly I had been holding him when it happened.
Rest in peace my Zeusy. We already miss you so much it hurts. You were the best boy and the best big brother we could have ever asked for. π
