Many people make a “bucket list” as they get older—a list of things they want to do before they “kick the bucket.” This often includes things like travel destinations or to try new things like skydiving.
But what about our pets? Sadly, they live shorter lives than we do—isn’t that all the more reason they should set out to live their dreams while they can?
One dog did just that—with not much longer to live, he got his own “bucket list,” and a police department stepped up to cross off one of the entries.
A stray dog named Eddie had been wandering around Benton County, Washington until November, when he was taken in by Mikey’s Chance Canine Rescue. But after being taken to the vet, the team discovered that Eddie had an inoperable tumor, and only has 6-12 months to live.
But he’s going to make the most of the time he has left. He’s now spending his final months with foster mother Kristi Kesler, who has put together a “bucket list” for Eddie.
“He’s just the best dog, so friendly, so well-behaved, he knows all of his commands, he’s just the sweetest thing,” Carin Brown, the animal control officer who found Eddie, told CNN.
“He deserves six months to a year of all the love and happiness that we can give him.”
One of the entries on the list: becoming an honorary K-9 officer. Kristi says it just seemed like a natural thing to put on there.
“Being a K-9 officer just seemed like a great fit for him because he’s such a great ambassador,” she told KAPP. “He’s got such a great personality.”
The Pasco Police Department stepped up to make that dream a reality, and went above and beyond to make the experience special.
Eddie was given his own police jacket with a badge, and was sworn in by the Chief of Police.
Eddie wasn’t tasked with solving any crimes… instead, his “mission” was to go around town with the police officers to different businesses who donated toys and treats for him.
Although he did get to answer a few 911 calls:
Eddie looks thrilled in all the photos, and so do all the people he interacted with on his big day.
It was beyond what Kristi could’ve imagined when she put it on the list.
“I thought maybe he might get his picture taken with an officer in a car,” she told KEPR. “I thought maybe if he were lucky he might go for a car ride, but I never dreamed it would be this big for him.”
But the officers were happy to do whatever they could to make this honorary K-9 happy in his final months.
“We believe in helping people and that also means helping animals in our community so we have all come together as a family and are all fighting along side Eddie,” Detective Julie Lee said.
Eddie has checked off a few other items on the list, like a picture with Santa and a pool full of stuffed animals. He’s still looking to run a kissing both and get a ride on a motorcycle though.
“These people who’ve really stepped up and said we want to make a difference in this dog’s life — it’s meant the world to know that people still do care,” Kristi told KAPP.
“Having them and being able to be apart of their lives and make a difference like in Eddie, to bring this joy to him no matter how short of time it is that’s what we hold onto.”
Thank you to all these kind people for helping this dog have his day! We hope the rest of his life is filled with great moments like these.
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