Christmas Comes Early for Dying Dog Who 'Loved' Holiday
— -- Scooby the dog loved Christmas. But his owner, Molly Bradshaw, knew he wouldn't make it to celebrate this year.
So Scooby's family decided Christmas would come early to their home in Bedfordshire, England, this year.
"We always involve the animals in Christmas so Scooby got presents every year and leftover roast so he's always enjoyed it and been part of the celebrations," Bradshaw told ABC News. "He was very vocal dog and loved to bark and 'talk' to us."
Scooby hadn't been doing well for some time, Bradshaw said. Long-time back problems that had threatened his life five years earlier returned. He lost his sight and hearing and developed dementia. "I became his full-time carer, unable to leave him as he wouldn't settle without me, and getting up throughout the night to take him to the toilet/for a drink/ or to settle him," Bradshaw said.
In October, Bradshaw and her family took a trip to Florida to visit with family they hadn't seen in years. Ten days into the trip, a message came that Scooby simply was not coping without Bradshaw. She flew home immediately.
"As soon as I saw Scooby, I knew something had gone wrong and was really worried he wouldn't make it to Christmas. That's where the idea came to bring Christmas to Scooby," she said.
"Friends helped Bradshaw decorate the house with tinsel, paper chains, the tree, a book of Christmas rules and snowflakes hanging from the ceiling. With Christmas songs blaring, Scooby was the center of the celebration the whole time." Scooby's Christmas was celebrated in mid-November.
"On our planned last day, we arranged a final dog walk, present opening, a Christmas meal and then final goodbyes," Bradshaw said.
Scooby is in dog heaven now, but he's very much on Bradshaw's mind as the real Christmas approaches.
"We have had Scooby since he was a puppy," she said. "He was my best friend and we did everything together."
