Shelter Desperately Seeking Family, Home for Dying Dog's Last Days

PECONIC, NY — Holly is a sweet, loving dog who enjoys belly rubs on the couch and affection.

Sadly, Holly got bad news this week, said Gabrielle Stroup of the North Fork Animal Welfare League, when a biopsy of her masses revealed that one was osteosarcoma, a locally invasive tumor that's infiltrative, with frequent recurrence at the surgical site, rapidly metastasizing to the lungs or lymph nodes.

And now, in a race against time, Stroup is seeking a loving home where the gentle girl can live out her last days surrounded by the warmth of a family of her own.

"I need to find a quiet home, preferably with no other animals, so Holly can live out however long she has left out of the shelter," Stroup said. "The average post-surgical survival time is 90 days."

While Stroup said the aim is to investigate alternative treatments to see if Holly can be kept comfortable for a longer time, her mission is to find Holly a place of her own, where she can "know love, and sleep in a home."

Stroup thanked the many who donated to help Holly in past weeks; a GoFundMe was set up to help the dog, only five years old, with a shot at life. So far, the GoFundMe page, "Holly Needs Us!" has raised $2,100 of its $2,000 goal.

"Please if you have space to foster this girl, please contact me 631-765-1811, ext. 1," Stroup implored. "We will take care of her medical costs. We just want to get her out of the shelter."

Reflecting on Holly's heartbreaking outcome, Stroup said, "It's just so sad. I assumed once we removed the masses she would have many years. But the vet today said not a year, probably months."

Stroup said she hopes that Holly will find a home where she is the only pet. "She deserves all the love."

She added, "She is a total mush. I just don't want her to die without a family. Even though we all love her, she deserves more. Whoever takes her will not be sorry. She has a ton of love to give."