Backstory 14: The Ruff Life- Zoe

July 2025

This is for Zoe.

During Covid lockdown in 2020, an Akashic Records specialist told me that our space, The Lanktuary, was going to serve as a type of hospice for dogs. I remembered that yesterday, when I was home alone with our 5 dogs, and I felt myself holding space for Zoe, who is dying.

And how do we know she's dying? Well, she smells very different, she has stopped eating, she barely moves and she's doing the death howl, which I recognize from our elder dogs in the past. So yes, being a hospice for elder dogs has been our thing lately.

My life as a dog owner began in the summer of 1997 when I adopted Sadie, and I've been waiting for the inspiration to hit to begin sharing the stories of my dogs over the years, so thank you Zoe for helping me access that inspiration. Currently our dogs range in age from 6 months to 15 years, and they ALL have their own unique story. But this first one is the story of Zoe.

Our family had 5 dogs at the time we met Zoe in July 2018, so our adopting her wasn’t a case of “we need a dog, let's go get one…” it was more along the lines of me seeing her picture online, and reading the heartfelt request for adoption by her owner. And I knew in my heart when I saw her that she needed us more than we needed her. The Facebook thread held many comments, particularly scolding the woman for abandoning her dog, and others saying "no one is going to adopt an older sick dog." But they didn't know me...this was right up my alley. You've got an older sick dog? Come on in...let's see if we can help.

This is what she looked like when we brought her in...

When I first saw Zoe’s adoption request, I remember I was sitting on our grey pull-out couch next to my 4 month old sleeping baby, and life felt pretty peaceful. But then I picked up my phone, opened Facebook and there was Zoe. 

Her picture popped up in our local Facebook group for women in Costa Rica, called “Beach Society,” and the caption under per picture was an urgent adoption request. 

I knew the woman posting, mostly because we live in a very small town, and she shared that her daughter had grown allergic to their family dog, Zoe, who was almost 9 years old, and it broke my heart to learn that Zoe had been with them since she was a puppy, but they couldn't keep her anymore. She also shared that Zoe had a skin condition so she shed a lot, along with a thyroid imbalance that required daily meditation. But most of all, the woman shared that if she couldn’t find a new home for Zoe soon, she’d have to put Zoe to sleep. 

Ugh

Tears came instantly when I read that, especially since we’d just had to put our 6th dog Jerry to sleep 2 weeks before, because he had a tumor. So there I was crying and screenshotting Zoe's picture, and calling my husband to let him know I was setting up a sleepover with a new dog to see if we could adopt her into our pack. 

Though my husband didn’t love the idea, he also knew better than to argue with a postpartum hormonal me, so a few hours later the woman and her family showed up with Zoe, her bed, her bowl, some toys and a few goodbye drawings made by the kids. Wait, wasn’t this just a trial for 1-2 nights to see how it went?

Nope, it felt more like this was the drop off and goodbye. 

I saw the pleading look in the woman’s eyes, especially when I told her I’d reach out in 2 days to let her know if it was a good fit. I saw that she loved Zoe, and she needed this to be a good fit for her. 

So deep down I knew I’d do anything I could to make it work with Zoe, and help her integrate into our pack.

And so once again, we became a pack of 6 dogs and 3 humans.

I looked back on my phone and saw one of the first photos I took of Zoe as she was settling in…it was on July 8, 2018.

Zoe had never been part of a pack, and I could tell she didn’t know quite what to do with so many other dogs around. And so she did what she knew best and glued herself to Adam and I, her humans. And to help her adjust,  I made sure to set clear boundaries as to where her bowl would be when everyone ate their meals, I began feeding Zoe first, and I moved her bed around the house to be near where I would be. Our other dogs saw this subtle special treatment and I could tell they were annoyed, but I also saw they were doing their best not to react or lash out at Zoe. 

Zoe got more comfortable quickly, and began to wag her tail more; especially when walk time came. Most of our dogs didn’t use leashes, because we lived on a long dirt road, and we let them wander, but I kept Zoe leashed and by my side, so the other dogs understood she was one of us now. And I could tell that Zoe loved that, and she even began to smile more.  Here is another from the early days of Zoe learning to navigate life in the pack in 2018...

August 2018

We tended to Zoe’s skin with several visits to the Dr. Cavallini, our vet, and we applied lots of daily creams. And slowly over time, Zoe’s skin healed, and so did she. 

Zoe has endured a few rather gnarly dog fights over the years, that sent us to the vet several times for stitches and care, but still she has carried on with her life, and established herself as an important part of our pack. 

I remember her first owner telling me she didn’t think Zoe would make it another year, yet here we are 7 years later, still together. 

These days Zoe can’t go up and down the stairs anymore, so we carry her, and I used to get frustrated when she’d pee in the house, but now I feel softer around it, because I know she’s doing her best and her time is almost up. Zoe stopped eating 2 days ago and now it feels like we’re in true hospice care mode for her.  

August 2025

So Zoe, know that I see you, and so does everyone else. We honor your journey both before us and with us, which I know has been challenging, and know we have enjoyed having you as part of our pack. 

Right now I’m reading this to you as I’m petting you. 

I hope I’m able to be by your side when you decide it’s time to go, but if not, I hope you understand all that I’ve said and you know we've been grateful for our experience of caring for you.

We love you Zoe 

Love,

Your second mom