Kevin Not Forgotten

KATHRYN SAID GOODBYE TO HIM ON 11.12. 2016

Remembering Kevin brings a lot of tears and very sad memories for  Kathryn.  

“Kevin, a gorgeous Golden Retriever, wasn’t even a year old when he came to IRR through our good friends at DAWG rescue in Cork. Like so many that come to us, we were asked to help a boy on the fringe, a boy who had no one except DAWG, a stray with a will to live but was it going to be enough?”

KEVIN’S SAD STORY

When they contacted Kathryn, our Ireland Co-ordinator, and she spoke to the trustees, it was a shout from everyone ‘absolutely whatever it takes’. He was taken into the vet in Cork to undergo the routine examinations and have his inoculations for going to the UK.

IRR even had his forever home picked out depending on his assessment. Everyone was thrilled that yet again two charities working together could help change a life around. Having stayed overnight in the vets before castration, early in the morning, Kathryn and IRR were contacted to say Kevin wasn’t well and was on a drip. Margaret, from DAWG, was with him there.

The IRR trustees told Kathryn ‘Tell the vet to do whatever is needed to help him, we will worry about the cost later’. Margaret called an hour later to say, they had done what they could. They thought he had trapped gas in his abdomen and opened him up. The gas was relieved and, with him appearing brighter, they hoped for a positive outcome even though he had also tested positive for parvovirus. He was constantly monitored by the vet and nurses. He had become so special to everyone that the nurses stayed past their shift to make sure he was in good hands. Two hours later, poor Kevin was screaming in agony and the vet released him from his pain. Kevin was rescued on 8th December and died on 11th December.  

Tears rolled down their faces as they made this agonising decision. Margaret in DAWG apologised to Kathryn as she explained what happened and said that DAWG would pay but Kevin was an IRR dog and IRR always look after their own. It meant a lot to us that Margaret was there when we couldn’t be. At least, he was loved and not alone at the end. Our final picture, sent by a friend, is of Kevin a few hours after he died.

It was as though she could see him from Heaven free from pain and hoping that we would continue the work of helping Goldens to get their wonderful forever homes even though, sadly, for him, it wasn’t meant to be.

Dear sweet Kevin, now a dog angel, please watch over us as we try to continue to do the work we are so passionate about.