Gwen, a senior Collie, came to us with matted fur and significant mobility issues. She was promptly put on arthritis and pain medication. It became clear to us after a month here that her symptoms were worsening. She had trouble getting up from the floor and needed assistance. Staff and volunteers began to notice that her bad days outweighed her good days and that it was time to help her “over the Rainbow Bridge”. Almost all of the euthanasias at Bob’s House are done here at the house. This makes the transition much less stressful for all involved. When we knew Gwen’s time was near we wanted to give her the perfect send off. One of Gwen’s favorite activities is riding in the car. So we loaded her up in the car and took her into town for a cheeseburger and ice-cream (AKA, the infamous “Last Supper” here at Bob’s House). After devouring her delicious meal she was peacefully euthanized while still in the car. There was no stress for Gwen, no vet visit, no unfamiliar people to meet… just Gwen and one of her beloved Bob’s House Moms.

This is what we do at Bob’s House. We could not improve Gwen’s physical state, but we ended her pain in a way that we knew would  be easiest on her. As hard as it is for us to say good-bye to our friends, we feel good knowing we did the right and loving thing in the end. Gwen’s last car ride was full of excitement, peace and lots of love.