In Knoxville, Tennessee, the Young-Williams Animal Center has established a “fospice” care program. By combining hospice and foster care, pups are uniquely cared for at the end of their life with a special kind of quality of life effort.
Today’s #FosterFriday has a twist! Meet LaLa or this week she is K9 Officer LaLa thanks to the @knoxsheriff Lala is one of our “fospice” animals, she has cancer and her prognosis is weeks, maybe months. 1/4 pic.twitter.com/aVQimrQppc
— Young-Williams Animal Center (@YWACpets) October 8, 2021
According to a report from WATE, Lala joined the Young-Williams ranks when she was found roaming alone on a recently sold property lot.
Young-Williams found a foster for the pup, which for a time was a vast improvement for Lala. That is, until her foster dad noticed a loss of appetite and found a large bulge around her stomach area.
Cancer Diagnosis & Separation Anxiety
Young-Williams examined the pup and found a tumor in her spleen — cancer. With much luck, however, the tumor was successfully removed, her appetite returned, and she finally began to put on a bit of weight.
With Lala’s foster dad returning to work, though, it became clear that Lala suffered from severe separation anxiety. Understanding all she’d been through, Lala’s foster decided she needed parents that could spend more time at home with her.
Upon returning to Young-Williams, though, it was discovered that things wouldn’t be that easy, as Lala’s cancer had returned.
And worse, she only had weeks to months to live.
Lala Enters Fospice Care
Our team worked to find her a Foster that would be able to spend time with her at home.
They. Made. A. Perfect. Match. Lala’s Foster wanted her last days experiences to be extra special. So she made her a doggie bucket list. 2/4 pic.twitter.com/gO2NIe4kdA— Young-Williams Animal Center (@YWACpets) October 8, 2021
Experienced in both hospice and foster care, fospice parents are uniquely qualified to care for a pup at the end of their life. But, more than that, they care about making it a special time.
Lala’s fospice parents loved her from the moment she arrived. “From the first day we met her, she immediately accepted us,” her foster mom told WATE.
“Her sweet, calm demeanor captivates everyone who meets her. Lala enjoys companionship so much that she complies with everything completely. She is a very quiet girl but speaks softly with her eyes.”
Knowing the timeline that Lala had been given, her fospice parents wanted to make her remaining time memorable. “We decided to make a bucket list designed especially for her,” her foster mom told WATE.
Lala’s Bucket List
LaLa has checked off a few like a steak dinner, spa day and as you can see a K9 Officer.
She still has a few more to go like a picnic and a treat taster for a day. Lala, we have happy tears in our eyes knowing the generous love you will experience in your final days. 3/4 pic.twitter.com/qDUgSUinBi— Young-Williams Animal Center (@YWACpets) October 8, 2021
Here’s what’s on the list with check marks to show what Lala has done:
- 1. Go on a treat shopping trip; ✓
- 2. Have a steak dinner; ✓
- 3. Have a salon day with a pedicure; ✓
- 4. Have her portrait painting done; ✓
- 5. Go on a picnic;
- 6. Go out for doggy ice cream;
- 7. Have a spa day; ✓
- 8. Be a treat taster for the day;
- 9. Visit local landmarks;
- 10. Be a canine officer for the day; ✓
You Can Also Become A Fospice Parent With Young-Williams
If you live in the Knoxville area and have an interest in improving the quality of life for a pup like Lala, you may apply here.
Other shelters around the country are adopting similar programs. If you don’t live in this area, be sure to reach out to your local dog care providers to see how you may be of service. Most foster programs provide both supplies and medical care, free of charge.
Would you become a fospice parent for a dog like Lala? What kind of bucket list items would you want a pup to have at the end of their life? Let us know in the comments below!
