Charlie, Dog Who Won Countless Hearts, Dies After Health Crisis

MATTITUCK, NY — Charlie, a beloved little dog who defied the odds and captured the hearts of a community, has died.

"It is heartbreaking for me to inform everyone that Charlie has passed away," a post, written by Charlie's champion and guardian angel Dr. Beth Dunbar, on the Charlie Duran Facebook page said Wednesday. "She suffered another respiratory attack. Despite the corrective surgery, her airways remained extremely collapsed. While I did my best to save her, the damage to her airways was beyond repair. She was the best dog in the world. She was always happy and made everyone around her smile."

Dunbar thanked the community for their endless support. "I believe all of your encouragement kept her soldiering on. We could not have given her this truly happy life she lived without you. I truly believe that she would have walked if she had lived long enough. I just wish she had lived long enough to prove it. She will be forever in my heart."

The serious health scare was not Charlie's first: The dog who stole countless hearts also had a respiratory emergency in May.

A post on the Charlie Duran Facebook page said that, while at East End Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center for rehab Charlie suffered a respiratory emergency; she later rebounded from that scare.

In March, the community cheered for Charlie, a little dog facing a huge health challenge, who was continuing to make progress and as she began radiation.

Charlie was an American Bully who wowed everyones she met with her affectionate and exuberant spirit. Despite the fact that her back two legs were paralyzed, that didn't deter Charlie, who hopped about with boundless energy, eager to meet new friends and bestow kisses on her sea of fans.

Sean Zurawski, 7, was so taken by the story of the puppy in need that he told him mom he wanted to give all of his saved up money — $160 that he'd collected in a jar since he was just four years old — to save Charlie.
Giving Charlie hugs Saturday, he said, "She's so cute."

With the donations from a GoFundMe page, the staff was able to afford medical treatments to try to give Charlie a long life, Dr. Dunbar said.

"We can't thank everyone enough for all of Charlie's donations," Mattituck-Laurel Veterinary Hospital vet tech Diana Stulsky said. The outpouring of love and support, she said, has touched her heart. "It's humbling."

Charlie had an amazing will, Stulsky said in a past interview. "She's an amazing little girl. She's a fighter."

The pup was so popular that she had her own Facebook page "Charlie Duran," where regular updates on Charlie's progress were posted for the legions of angels who wanted to support her.

When she was just four months old, the pup had sudden onset paresis, or partial paralysis of her back legs.

While that's normally caused by some sort of disc rupture, it's not common in such a young dog, Dr. Dunbar said. When, after cage rest and steroids, Charlie didn't improve, the situation was dire.

Her owners couldn't afford to pay for further diagnostics and were going to put her to sleep. "Everyone here at the hospital said, 'We can't let this dog be put to sleep.' It was like a coup. So we talked to the owners, told them no one wants her to be put to sleep, and they graciously agreed" to give her up, Dr. Dunbar said.

Charlie, Dr. Dunbar said, "had one of those personalities that wins your heart. I don't know anyone who's not fallen in love with this dog. I've never seen a dog with so much happiness. It's contagious," she said.

The outpouring of love from the North Fork and veterinary communities was overwhelming, Dr. Dunbar said.

"It's so heartwarming how much a dog can bring a community together," she said. "It brings me to tears, that people are so caring. It restores your faith in humanity."

Charlie was just seven months old.

Patch file photos.