Goodbye "Mr. Brown"

For those of you following this blog, you may have read my posts about "Mr. Brown" and "Max" the dog. You may have also seen the photos of me with them in the Sunday Tulsa World a couple of weeks ago. It is with mixed feelings that I share with you that "Mr. Brown," alias "Buddy" Springer (as printed in the World), passed away this week. He was at Clarehouse, a wonderful hospice home here in Tulsa and I couldn't have asked for a better place for him to spend his last days. His dog, Max, is with a family member and his dog companion Tahoe, and as far as I know, will stay there for the remainder of his life.

"Buddy" was gruff and outspoken at times, but underneath his crusty exterior lay a tender heart that had been deeply touched by the loss of a wife and his only child many years ago. He was ready to leave this world and ready to be free of the sickness that kept him from doing the things he loved. I am so glad he didn't have to suffer the loss of his faithful dog while he was facing his own mortality. This photo was taken when I brought Max back from the veterinarian after he was treated for arthritis and flea allergy. Buddy didn't know if Max would be coming back with me or not, as he had instructed me to have Max euthanized if the vet recommended it. Instead, this photo captures his relief and the patient and adoring love of his trusted companion. If you look closely, you will see that Max is smiling. This photo will always be one of my favorites.

Thank you for making it possible to help people like Buddy and dogs like Max.

Sunday Tulsa World Article about "Mr. Brown" and "Max"

In case you didn't get to read it for yourself, here is the link to the wonderful front page article written by a Tulsa World reporter named Michael Overall. Now that we have permission to use the patient's name, this story has many of the elements of "Mr. Brown" and "Max" from my previous posts a few weeks ago. You may want to reread them to understand how we got involved with this patient and his beloved dog and the seriousness of the situation when we first took Max to the vet. When you put all of the components of this story together, it really represents the heart and soul of Pet Peace of Mind. The article refers to the significant losses in Mr. Springer's life and how losing his dog of 15 years would only add to his grief.

The response to this story has been very touching and at times, overwhelming. We found out Monday that it also appeared in the Oklahoma City paper and we hope it gets picked up by AP. Several pet lovers have come forward, ready to volunteer in a variety of ways. Tomorrow, I have an interview with a writer from Dog Fancy Magazine!! At the same time, viewers and readers have also called looking for low cost veterinary care for pets after having been laid off. One lady called from Houston, looking for a home for an incontinent 13 year old Airedale she could no longer care for. There are so many needs and so few resources. How I would love to help them all.

For those of you who read this blog, thank you for spreading the word about our program and for your support. I so appreciate your words of encouragement and your belief in Pet Peace of Mind. Stay tuned!