Rocky (aka Rocket Man) came to me almost three years ago, in desperate need of a fresh start. He was quite senior, tiny, and required immediate eye surgery. I completed the adoption that night to assume responsibility for his surgery, relieving his wonderful rescue of any further expenses. They had already done so much, including extracting all of his teeth, giving him a medical shave down, neutering, and much more. But he still needed a cornea graft, which we proceeded with. Over the next few weeks and months, I learned to care for his eyes. He hated the drops but understood they were necessary for him to see.
The fact that Rocky remained kind and gentle throughout his recovery revealed his true nature. He grew to love wearing his Rex Specs, as it meant he could go outside. When he started volunteering with the Pet Partners of Las Vegas/Love Dog Adventures therapy team, he met many special people, just like him. He adored being a class dog, interacting with children and older folks alike. But when a child said, “He wears glasses just like me,” Rocky’s ears perked up with excitement!
Even though he couldn’t see for much of the time he was with me, he would always look right into your eyes. Those ears! Rocky was the happiest therapy dog until he could no longer be handled. One of the hardest decisions we face is knowing when to retire our therapy animals, and it’s a bittersweet moment. But the next hardest decision is knowing when to let them go.
It truly takes a village to have a pet, and it takes a village to lose one. To everyone who met this remarkable little man—thank you for enriching his life and mine. He passed away on September 27, 2024.
