Cookie, a senior Cocker Spaniel, was picked up as a stray along with a one-year-old Labrador Retriever. The two dogs were owned by the same family. The owners arrived at San Bernadino shelter to claim the dogs.
But in a move that stunned the internet, the family took only their young labrador home with them, surrendering Cookie and leaving her behind. The shelter snapped photos of Cookie, who watched heartbroken, as her family walked away with her younger canine sibling. She cried and whimpered for their return.
Lynn Hamilton of OC Small Paws So UT could not let Cookie be just another sad shelter dog statistic. When she saw the heartbreaking photos of Cookie waiting for her family to return, Lynn knew she needed to take action quickly.
In less than a month, Cookie’s story went viral, and this is what happened…
Cookie was set up with a foster home who saw an ad for the abandoned dog.
She was taken away to a brand warm home, full of snuggles, treats, and affection.
If Lynn and OC Small Paws So UT had not stepped up for her, there is a good chance Cookie would have been euthanized.
Vets discovered something else about Cookie — she had over 12 cancerous tumors. Thankfully, they were able to remove most of them.
As a result of Cookie’s medical state, the folks at OC Small Paws So UT made the following choice: “We have made the collective decision to not adopt her out,” the staff announced on Facebook. “She will stay under the care of the rescue for the rest of her life. She also will be under the care of our vet who has already done her first surgery.”
