We all want what’s best for our beloved fur babies. But what if you were told you were dying? Who would take care of them? Would they be loved? A San Antonio man is facing these unthinkable questions. His dying wish…to find permanent homes for the remaining 11 of his 27 rescue dogs.
A generous benefactor
Two years ago, Richard Ewers, 71, began taking in stray or abandoned pups. Last year when Mr. Richard, as he is known by his friends, was diagnosed with cancer, volunteers began helping him support his adopted dogs.
Unfortunately, Mr. Richard’s stomach cancer took a turn for the worse. Recently he was put into hospice and given a week to live and not all of his dogs have homes.
Two years ago, when Mr. Richard began housing the pups, local volunteers and donors helped vaccinate and spay and neuter the dogs. Now that Mr. Richard is in hospice, volunteers like Mary Oyler from Save Our Strays San Antonio, visit the dogs daily.
Oyler told KSAT 12, “We are very sad by this, of course, and we want to make that last wish come true for him.”
Without their constant, the dogs are suffering. Oyler said, “Not having Mr. Richard here, there’s confusion, loneliness. There’s depression.”
Unfortunately, the dogs’ current living conditions are not optimal. They enter and exit Mr. Richard’s house through an open window. The volunteers bring them food and water daily. But, Olyer worries the dogs spend too much time without human interaction.
She said, “There’s no one to give them attention and love. There is no running water. There is no electricity. The conditions are just not ideal.”
The dogs relied on Mr. Richard’s care for two years. It will be a large adjustment when they move into their forever homes. “There’s a lot of work involved,” Oyler said. “All they’ve ever known is Mr. Richard, so it’s going to require a family that has a lot of patience.”
UPDATE
Mr. Richards passed away the night of May 17, 2019.
“It is with great sorrow that we have to let everyone know that Mr. Richard passed away last night. We do believe he found a sense of peace knowing his dogs would be ok.”
Just a few days later, a rescue all the way from Nebraska sent a transport down to San Antonio to collect the last of his dogs, and help place them with forever homes.
https://www.facebook.com/HelpingMrRichardandDogsSATX/photos/a.1524809347646878/2114223062038834/?type=3&theater
Mr. Richards left a lot of love behind that will now be shared with new families.
Watch the story of love and compassion here.
Toledo, United States.
