“The best way to honor a dog you just lost is to pull another one out of the shelter,” said Lester Aradi, co-founder of Horse Creek Stable Rescue Sanctuary.
A few months ago, Aradi and his wife Diane opened their home to a new pet – a Golden Retriever named Snowflake.
Snowflake was rescued from a non-AKC breeder out of Missouri by Adopt a Golden Atlanta, INC.
The dog had never been exposed to human contact, other than the breeder, and was in terrible shape when she came to the couple. Snowflake suffered from skull cancer and had lost an eye due to it.
Lester said she had been kept in a cage for the majority of her life and was extremely neglected.
Fully aware of what they were getting into, the duo took in Snowflake and vowed to provide her with the best final days.
While with the couple, Snowflake indulged in hamburgers, fries and ice cream, said Diane.
“She was the sweetest dog, her tail was still wagging, and everybody loved her,” Lester said, “But she was in the worst shape medically.”
The two also took the dog swimming in Lake Blue Ridge and the creek beside their residence.
Lester made a point to share Snowflake’s adventures on Facebook, where she gained a lot of attention until her death.
The couple was told they would have around two months with the dog, but that time only lasted two and a half weeks.
Since then, the Aradi’s have taken in another Golden Retriever, one from the same breeder. Her name is Goldie.
Goldie suffered from breast cancer, resulting in a mastectomy. Although, she is now free of breast cancer, they cannot be sure that other cells are not still alive in other parts of her body.
Diane said, “(She’s) totally shut down emotionally. ... She won’t make eye contact or anything. She kind of sweeps by and kind of looks at you but won’t stare at you. She’s got to learn that trust, but that’s okay. We’ve got time.”
The couple is currently giving Goldie, and four other rescued Golden Retrievers, the best quality of life possible.
Lester said, “We never intended to become solely a Golden Retriever foster home.
“If there’s a moral of the story here, people should never buy a puppy from a pet shop or over the internet unless they know the breeder. ... Adopt don’t shop.”