Janine is a college student and the founder of the Animal Rescue Society. When she first saw Watson, weak and emaciated, in the park, she hoped that he could be helped.
But after spending some time with him, she read the opposite in his eyes. He is tired of fighting.
Veterinarians intensively looked after Watson for several days, but his prognosis was not good. The hind leg was struck by a large cancerous tumor.
But the disease, it seems, has already managed to disperse throughout the body.
The only thing that could be done for Watson was to give him the last days of comfort and care.
Instead of giving Watson a comfortable cage with blankets for the night, Janine decided to stay with him.
“I had a feeling that the next day he would get worse. I didn’t want to leave him alone, not when he needed my support the most.”
Janine collected the blankets and bedding from all the cages and put them in the laundry room.
She and Watson lay down on the floor, and she spent the whole night stroking him and supporting him with kind words.
Perhaps in Watson’s life, this was the only night he spent in the arms of a loving person.
“He slept like a baby, cuddled up to me. I fell asleep and woke up with tears in my eyes.”
The next morning, Watson completely refused food and water.
He twisted circles, fell.
Janine took him to the vet and gave him a big hug as he took his last breath.
We will never know if Watson knew anything about human kindness before the moment of salvation.
But even if that night was the only one filled with care and love, Janine feels better at the thought that she was able to spend with him the time he needed her most.
“My heart is broken. But I couldn’t change a thing.”