Two years ago, Robert Reed came home from work to find a small dog hanging around his front door. The dog had seen better days. Under the grime and leftover homelessness, he was once white. He was also blind and deaf. Robert took him in and gave him a home for the night.
The next day, Robert took the dog to the vet to see if there was an owner. The dog didn’t have a chip and the vet had never seen the dog before. Robert took the dog home and called him Buddy.
Robert has two other dogs and they became Buddy’s protectors, guiding the new addition around the house, in the garden, getting him used to the everyday things in Robert’s world. Robert learned how to feed, and care for, a blind, deaf, toothless ex-stray, dog.
Eventually, given time, love and devotion, Buddy grew stronger and more confident.
Buddy died today. He had a heart problem which rapidly escalated. As Robert said, he took Buddy for a walk at 2pm and he was gone by 8.
While the story is obviously very sad, it is also one of love and tenderness. Robert gave Buddy a new life, a happy life, a life full of love. That’s a pretty good thing.
Robert gave Buddy his own hashtag and regularly posted on Twitter about him. While Buddy will be missed by all of Robert’s followers, may #GoBuddy remain alive and make his memory last.