Doctors said that she only had a couple of weeks to live, so this pilot flew her to her adoptive family 400 miles away so that her final days would be filled with love.
Ashlyn was an elderly dog in a North Carolina shelter, and she wasn’t doing well. She’d lost a lot of weight and had sarcomas, which were malignant tumors beneath her skin. But it wasn’t too late for her to strike gold.
When the New England Humane Society (NEHS) identified a suitable home for Ashlyn to spend the last few weeks of her life, all she needed was a means to get there. So the founder of Flying Fur Animal Rescue (FFAR), Paul Steklenski, decided to fly her up on his plane.
Steklenski became sad as he piloted the plane with Ashlyn in the seat next him, thinking about how this may be her final flight anywhere.
Even though Steklenski is used to transporting needy puppies to rescues so they may find loving homes — he normally transports between 15 to 30 dogs each month — the elderly dogs particularly tug at his heartstrings. “Those are the ones where you really focus on what they’re going through,” Steklenski explained to The Dodo.
Ashlyn was nervous at the bit of the two-hour travel. “She seemed a touch distant at first,” Steklenski remarked. “Then she’d kind of open up a bit and get closer.”
He surely made her feel better by feeding her dog treats. “She then gave me one paw, then the other,” he explained.
“She then rested her head on my lap,” Steklenski explained. “That means a lot to me. That is all that is important. That is the prize in and of itself.”
Steklenski decided to take up flying as a hobby in 2013, at the same time he adopted a dog. These items were unconnected at the time, but they were irrevocably intertwined soon after.
“We went to pet stores, then to shelters, and began to discover the difference,” Steklenski told The Dodo last year. When he discovered how many needy animals are in shelters, he decided to put his new hobby to good use.
Ashlyn would not be where she is now if it weren’t for him. While everyone assumed they were transporting her to the hospital, her recovery has led rescuers to believe she may have more time than they imagined.
“Her condition crushed me when I brought her up from the airport,” Tracy Lander, who has three dogs of her own and has been fostering dogs for the NEHS for two years, told The Dodo. “She had lost 39 pounds and her optimum weight is between 65 and 70 pounds. She came to me wearing a sweater, and when I removed it, I could see every rib.”
Lander began feeding Ashlyn three times a day to help her gain weight. She also gave her vitamins to assist her deal with her numerous health issues, which ranged from skin problems (induced by chemical burns) to cancers.
Ashlyn gradually began to change. “She’s getting out more,” Lander observed. “She’s a fantastic eater… and she adores me.”
Ashlyn has even begun to cuddling with Angel, another of Lander’s dogs. Xander, Lander’s boxer mix, has also expressed an interest in connecting with Ashlyn. “He’ll simply walk up to Ashlyn and start licking her,” Lander said. “He believes that he can heal everyone with his mouth.”
Ashlyn moved in with the Landers in January, and no one knew how long she’d be there. Now that it’s April, they don’t think of her as the fospice dog, but rather as someone who reminds them to live in the now and cherish every day — which is always a wonderful lesson.
“She understands she is adored,” Lander added. “No matter what happens, she knows she is loved.”
No one expected Ashlyn to make such significant leaps the day she boarded Steklenski’s plane. She went from being a tired shelter dog to becoming a member of a loving family, which is precisely why Steklenski does what he does.
“I never envisioned discovering something so wonderful, so rewarding that it would eclipse practically everything else in my life,” Steklenski remarked.
When we noticed the ailing dog pleading with onlookers for assistance with the massive tumor that was causing him such agony that he had to collapse, we became very alarmed
Meet Mixi, a brave dog who had been suffering from a massive tumor under his chest for a long time. The tumor was so large that it hung down and touched the ground when he moved, causing him immense discomfort. Desperate for help, Mixi went near a car, hoping to find someone who could assist him.
Fortunately, kind-hearted individuals came to his rescue and took him to a veterinary hospital to receive treatment. The pictures taken before the surgery showed the extent of the tumor, which was heavy and had broken through the skin, leaving a gaping hole. But thanks to the successful surgery, the tumor was completely removed, giving Mixi a new lease on life.
After the surgery, Mixi was brought back to his home, where he eagerly awaited the arrival of his owner, a woman wearing a blue shirt. He seemed to have a lot to say to her, and his excitement was palpable. His owner was emotional and grateful to the people who had saved her beloved dog’s life. She expressed her heartfelt thanks and appreciation for giving Mixi a chance at a happy and healthy life.
Despite still needing care and medication for the healing process, Mixi’s owner was hopeful that he would fully recover and not have any further health issues. She shared her story, describing the pitiful state Mixi was in before the surgery and how she had feared that he might not survive. However, she now believed in miracles as she saw Mixi’s remarkable progress.
Mixi’s owner expressed her deep gratitude to the kind-hearted individuals who had helped her dog and gave him a second chance. She thanked them from the bottom of her heart and looked forward to a brighter future with Mixi by her side, now able to run freely and enjoy life to the fullest.
Mixi’s story is a heartwarming reminder of the incredible resilience and strength of animals and the transformative power of compassion and care. It is a testament to the dedication of veterinary professionals and the kindness of strangers who stepped forward to help an innocent animal in need. With a bright future ahead of him, Mixi’s journey is a true testament to the unwavering bond between humans and their furry companions, and a story of hope and healing that will inspire many.
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