By Brad and Carol Stoltz
Cocoa was brought in by Animal Control in December of 2019. She ran away from home at the time her owner was taken to a nursing home. When contacted, the owner’s daughter surrendered her to a shelter. CBRR&R stepped in and rescued her. We had rescued Bodi in July and lost him to seizures in September. The rescue posted a message that they had a stray senior Chessie and some people shared their post with me. Brad and I decided to help. We went to pick her up. For some reason, they believed her name was Cocoa, so that’s what we called her. Knowing that she was approximately 13 years old, she was considered a hospice care. Cocoa was as laid back as the day was long. Her first visit with our vet, 3 days after bringing her home, showed she had Pyometra and needed a lifesaving emergency hysterectomy. Without batting an eyelash, the CBRR&R said get it done. This act saved her life. Further notice and testing showed a thyroid problem, an ear infection that rendered her close to deaf, and broken teeth with a slight infection. All issues were treated with great care. I assumed her life was that of a kennel dog. Our vet assumed the broken teeth came from chewing at a fence. She never barked. Possibly due to her vocal cords being cut. She had anxiety and severe arthritis in her hind legs.
Despite her medical issues, Cocoa was an angel. A true Chessie. Smart as hell. Velcro dog and the sweetest of puppies. She was my spirit animal. For I, too, was going through my own health issues. Covid shut the world down and I was dealing with a very possible Parkinson’s diagnosis. Both of us tripped, stumbled, drooled and ached constantly. Bur she was by my side. I think she got me like I got her. I spent the first month after we got her, sleeping on a cot in the living room. She never climbed the stairs or went down them. It must have taken a year before she felt like it was her home. Still, we were always Momma and Papa. I could go on telling wonderful stories of her. Maybe her life was tough, but in the end, she was loved. Hugged. Kissed. She was a great friend. She was only with us for 21 months, but I wouldn’t trade a minute of it. Thank you, Midwest Rescue, for bringing her into our lives. Your support and love have meant the world to us.
Always love,
Brad and Carol Stoltz
