Life Cut Short

Hachi, the beloved companion of Javier and Dana died right before Christmas.   I've been thinking a lot about what I could write  to honor the mild-mannered dog who barely survived life in a horribly overcrowded hoarding situation in Ohio.  I could recount how, after his rescue, he was shut down and depressed while  WARL staff and volunteers tried to lure him out of his deep funk.  But why dwell on the horror.  His last two years were spent in total bliss.   He was doted on, loved unconditionally, and freed from his past the minute Javi saw the pretty blond Akita mix, formerly known as Encore. "That's Hachi," Javi told his mom.  And, so he was.  I've  written about Hachi before -- when Javi made Hachi the star of his Old Yeller video book report and when Hachi moved with Dana and Javi to China in August  2012.  While some people use moving as an excuse to get rid of an animal, Dana wrote, "Hachi is off on a new adventure. I'm worried about the stress of the trip, I've gotten us a direct flight from Washington to Beijing, and Hachi will fly on the same flight. After a 7-day mandatory quarantine, he'll be ready to come to his new home."

My heart aches for Javi and Dana. Dana wrote,  Despite a successful fight against the lymphoma, yesterday we discovered a malignant tumor in his mouth that seemed to have affected his bones. As of this morning, he couldn't walk or stand on his own. We had no choice. We spent the day by his side. We were fortunate to find a wonderful doctor who came to our home. He was in his bed and our arms until the end. Only a couple of hours before, he found some energy to play with his toy and smile for us (see attached). Even during his own suffering, he was more worried about us and making us happy. We are grieving and heartbroken, but thankful for the love we shared. Thank you so much WARL for rescuing him. We thought we would have more than two years with him, but are so grateful for what we had.

I am  grateful to Dana and Javi for giving a very deserving dog a wonderful life, albeit much too short.    I am at a loss for words.

Racking up those frequent flier miles!

It's been a little over a year since Javi picked Hachi and Hachi picked Javi.  Readers may remember that Hachi, formerly named Encore, a survivor of a horrible hoarding case  in Ohio, lived at the Washington Animal Rescue League for several months before finding his forever home.  He became totally depressed and shut down.  It didn't seem to matter what enrichment activitity he was offered, who took him out, or what treats he was given -- he looked sad.  And, then one day Javier and his mom came to the League to adopt a best friend.  The connection between boy and dog was immediate.  The two quickly became inseparable.  Javier even teamed with Hachi to report on Old Yeller for a creative book report presentation (see right side of the page).

In July I received an email from Dana, Hachi's other best friend, and Javier's mom.  "I just wanted to let you and the staff at WARL know that I've accepted a job in Beijing, China. Therefore, Hachi (aka Encore) is off on a new adventure. Although I'm worried about the stress of the trip, I've gotten us a direct flight from Washington to Beijing, and Hachi will fly on the same flight. After a 7-day mandatory quarantine, he'll be ready to come to his new home."

A recent email confirmed that the family has adjusted to life nearly 7,000 miles from Washington.  "Hachi is well. He lost 10 lbs in quarantine, but I was prepared for that. He has adapted to high-rise apartment living and no longer has his "eating disorder" where he freaks out at his food and barks at it. Our apartment complex is very large and dog friendly, so Javi and Hachi frequently socialize with other dogs in the small parks in our development. It's common to hear a little girl saying, "Da gou," meaning big dog. I find it curious because there are many  larger dogs in our community, such as huskies, chows, and retrievers. Nonetheless, I guess they still think he's big compared to a typical Chinese pug or Pekingese. At this moment, Hachi is asleep and snoring on my bed with me. He is taking up a third of my queen-sized bed."

Dana promises another update as soon as she has a working battery for her camera.