Buddy the dog weighed in at 194 pounds when he was dropped at a shelter, but the Humane Society helped him drop 40 pounds, find his forever home and live the best year of his life until he recently died. (FOX 9)
DULUTH, Minn. (FOX 9) - We first met Buddy on a summer afternoon at his home in Duluth. Life was good. He was content and curious - and half the dog he was just one year before.
"He came to us and he was 194 pounds, and I really wanted to know his story," said Jessica Speer, a Animal Humane Society vet tech who remembers when Buddy arrived at the shelter.
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194-pound shelter dog given second chance in final years in Minnesota
A 194-pound shelter dog was given a second chance at a happy life during his final years in Minnesota.
His story was complicated. In 2018 Buddy's owner brought him in to be euthanized. He was 8 years old and nearly 100 pounds overweight. The vet team had a delicate decision to make.
"She told me she felt like there was more we could do for him, that putting down an animal because of its size wasn't right" said Kim Kuehn with the Animal Humane Society.
The team at the Animal Humane Society decided to try and save Buddy's life. They put him on a diet and into a foster home where he started shedding a few pounds a week.
Speer remembers those weigh-ins.
"He's coming in the door wagging his tail, just a totally different disposition," she said.
A few months later Buddy was down 40 pounds and ready for his forever home.
Enter Anne Vollmerhausen and her husband Bob Jones.
"We really didn't want a dog per se," Jones said.
Anne stumbled on Buddy's photo on the Animal Humane Society's website.
“I called Bob from the shelter and just said he's a mess. Those were my words, 'He's a mess,'” she said.
But it was too late; Buddy had already chosen them.
"Once I know the story I'm screwed," said Bob.
Buddy was finally home, but there was still work to do. Anne and Bob set him up with a strict diet and lots of exercise. Buddy did the rest.
"Now he acts more like a male dog on the walks and marks and has a little bit of territory and he loves meeting other dogs," Bob said.
That was in August. Buddy was finally living his best life.
Then, a couple of months after we shot the first part of our story, Buddy took a turn.
He passed away unexpectedly and peacefully from cancer. Bob and Anne thought that may be the end of his story, but it turns out Buddy had more to teach them.
"His story is profound," Bob said. "Here's a dog that in our mind was at best neglected and probably for a big chunk of his life he didn't have a good time. And because of what we went through, we got him in here and we got him in better shape and he was able to have a good year. He had a really good year."
Which is why Anne and Bob say this is not a sad story; they believe Buddy's life had a purpose: to stretch our idea of what makes a good pet so other animals like him, that don't look the part, get a second chance.
"If you saw him in those pictures he probably wasn't getting up to greet potential families, so there are animals out there that need homes, wonderful animals," Bob said.
These days Anne and Bob are slowly adjusting to their new normal without their "Big Boy B."
They miss him, but say his larger than life spirit is always there and they will continue to pay his story forward.
"Really it was a privilege to have him here. We're glad we did it and we're glad it was him. But there will be others. When the right dog is looking for us then we'll be there."