Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

Introducing… The Soul Legacy

$75,000 Bequeathed to
Rescue A Golden of Arizona
~ in memory of Soul ~
to save international dogs
from a cruel life and death

Soul, a very good, funny, and loving boy, lost his battle with cancer in his spleen and liver at the age of eleven years.  He left behind a “soulmate” whose passion for animal welfare found its ultimate expression in the creation of a legacy that would ensure Soul’s spirit lived on … and would bring rescue and reprieve to desperate animals waiting to be saved in faraway lands. This is their story.

In the Beginning      

Soul’s story begins as a puppy raised as a show dog.  During his tenure, this handsome boy won many significant awards.  But showing just didn’t seem to bring him joy, so he retired to become a cheerleader for two cherished Golden show companions and a CPX (Couch Potato Extraordinaire). He loved traveling around the country in his fifth-wheel, infecting everyone he met with pure joy.

While supporting his two Golden friends at a dog show, Soul met a family friend, a special lady we will call E Marie.  It was love at first sight for “two old souls” who instantly forged an everlasting bond.  Although they lived far apart, E Marie followed Soul’s antics and remained his fangirl through pictures and stories shared by his mom throughout the years.  E Marie didn’t have a Golden, but she became smitten with the breed and hoped to have one of her own one day.

Soul’s Journey to the Rainbow Bridge

Then came a fateful night when Soul stumbled as he walked in the backyard.  His gums were pale. He was rushed to the emergency vet.  A tumor had ruptured in his spleen, a horror experienced by so many Golden families.  A Non-Hemangiosarcoma, but the prediction for his days on earth was less than one year.  

His devastated family was determined to make it the best year of his life.  They built a personal dog park for Soul and his friends to romp and play in all day.  He recovered quickly and returned to his favorite pastime of cavorting in his dog park with the other dogs.

Sadly, a few months later, Soul developed bloat.  Again, he was rushed in for emergency surgery.  But this time, x-rays showed Hemangiosarcoma in his liver, shortening his life span to four weeks.  Four became fourteen; he continued to live every moment as Goldens do, with a jubilant and playful spirit.  Soul’s passing left a massive hole in everyone’s heart, but also the lesson that each day is a gift filled with the promise of new wonders.

Our benefactor, E Marie

As a lifelong lover of all creatures great and small, E Marie abhorred mistreatment of any animal, and was especially appalled by the horrors of the meat trade in foreign countries.   Deeply moved by the plight of these animals, she became determined to save as many as possible.  But how could she make that happen?  

As always, E Marie’s search led her back to Soul.  His indomitable spirit had allowed him to rise above his trauma and capture the joy in every moment of life.  In a crossroads moment, E Marie meshed her two passions – her quest to help innocent dogs awaiting a horrific end, and her boundless love for Soul.  She decided the only fitting memorial would be to leave a bequest in Soul’s name, in his spirit, and in service to other animals in desperate need.  

Rescue A Golden of Arizona is blessed to be The Soul Legacy recipient, enabling us to continue rescuing at-risk dogs from China, South Korea, Turkey, and Mexico.  E Marie is not our benefactor’s real name, of course.  Like others who choose to do good and disappear, she asked to remain anonymous.  

Our work will continue in memory of Soul and in honor of E Marie’s last wishes …

Because hunger, sickness, and despair know no language, no culture, and no boundary.

Previous

Next

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *