I recently attended a birthday party for a 13-year-old dog named Shanti. Shanti arrived at the Paws & Claws Animal Shelter when she was just a pup. She came from a hoarding case in Wrangell, Alaska. Sometimes we keep puppies at our facility, but it is always preferable if they can go to a foster home. We knew Shanti had won the foster home lottery when Wendy Anderson stepped up to foster her. Sadly, Wendy had lost her beloved dog Blue in a tragic accident, so she didn’t have any other pets at the time. Like many foster homes Wendy fell in love with Shanti pretty quickly and decided to adopt her. Although she jokes that she is still just fostering and that she pays “rent” for her each year by making an annual donation to the Paws & Claws Animal Shelter.  A couple of years after adopting Shanti, Wendy decided to get her a companion. She adopted a pup from an animal shelter in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.  Magnus is a small, black, mixed breed pup with a big personality. Shanti quickly took to her new younger brother.  Shanti and Magnus have helped Wendy through some challenging job changes and when she had to take care of her elderly mother with dementia. They have been steadfast companions that have brought her much comfort and joy – through good times and bad times. Sometimes the connections that we share with our companion animals is stronger than the relationships we have with humans. Our animals listen to us without judgement and can provide emotional support. They don’t care what we look like and are forgiving when we make mistakes. They can even lower our cortisol levels just by their presence.  In the fall of 2022, Shanti developed glaucoma. The best treatment plan for her comfort would be to have her eye removed. It is quite common for it to spread to the other eye. The following summer she had to have her other eye removed because she developed sudden blindness. Through Wendy’s encouraging the veterinarian decided to do some bloodwork after her second eye removal. That is when they discovered that she had a low white blood cell count that was indicative of cancer. Unfortunately, Shanti had a tumor on her spleen and had to undergo a splenectomy and three rounds of chemotherapy. Since we do not have a local veterinarian, there were times when Wendy had to drive two hours through difficult winter driving conditions to Canada for her appointments.

These medical issues were not without complications, but with Wendy’s diligent care and persistence I am pleased to report that Shanti is doing pretty darn good, all things considered. Wendy has gone the extra mile by covering sharp corners in her home with padding and by making her yard a safe haven.  Every morning Wendy uses treats to help guide Shanti down the ramp to her yard.  She also makes sure that Shanti still gets plenty of enrichment and has even purchased a wagon to take her on outings with her little brother Magnus.  Listening to Wendy talk about her love for Shanti and Magnus is moving. They share an incredible bond that you can feel as you watch her interact with them.  As I write this article I am surrounded by my two dogs and the matriarch of my cats is nestled in next to me. I am reflecting on my conversation with Wendy at Shanti’s party and how she described her as a “quiet presence.”  I am reminded of the times that my animals have been a “quiet presence” when it was needed the most. And, while it may not always be quiet, I am thankful for the bonds that I share with each of my animals, present and past. If all pets had homes like Wendy’s, the world would be a better place.