Joey Maxwell and his wife, Allison, have had Maverick for more than eight years. He was just a puppy when he joined them and he quickly became the center of their life. The golden retriever was their baby, even when he became a senior dog.
According to the couple, Maverick loved to be loved. And it’s easy to love him too. He is so friendly and gentle that people cannot help but fall for him.
So when they learned that his cancer came back, and this time there was nothing they could do, their world crumbled. But they didn’t let that bring them down.
Lymphoma
Maverick was diagnosed with lymphoma when he was nine years old. His owners didn’t want to let him go down without a fight so they put him in chemotherapy and under treatments. The cancer cells disappeared but they came back with a vengeance.
After spending some time in the hospital, the doctors told Joey and Allison that there was nothing else that they could do. They told the couple to bring the dog back home and give him hospice care, he only had several days left. So they did.
Celebrate life
When they got back home, the couple talked and they decided that they were not just going to sit around, feel sad, and wait for the inevitable to happen. They want to celebrate Maverick’s life and give him one last special day.
By that time, the senior dog was already weak and sick to get around by himself. So they got him a large wagon which they can pull around. At first, they couldn’t find one that could accommodate him, but a store manager helped them find one.
They then placed the dog atop the wagon after putting his memory foam and his favorite toy.
Maverick was pulled all over town, he had dog-friendly ice cream and a hamburger. But most important of all, everyone came to pet him and show him some love. This is what he really wanted.
Amazingly, that small tour made the dog feel so loved that he felt better in the days after that. What was supposed to be his remaining days extended to four months. Maverick died peacefully one night in his sleep.
Source: CBS News via Youtube