"The Vicktory dogs at Best Friends, indeed all pit-bull-type dogs everywhere, have lost a true ambassador. Ellen, one of the most affectionate dogs a visitor could hope to meet, passed away peacefully last weekend. At 11 years old, she was one of the oldest of the Vicktory dogs (seized from the property of NFL quarterback Michael Vick).
“Ellen's health is failing,” explained Best Friends veterinarian Dr. Patti Patterson right before the decision was made to humanely euthanize Ellen. “Although we do not know the cause of her illness and deterioration, we have exhausted all diagnostic and treatment efforts that we feel could help Ellen.”
The caregivers and medical team fought long and hard for Ellen, but in the end her health wouldn’t turn around. Some unknown disease was causing weight loss and muscle loss, as well as preventing her stomach from emptying. Despite a barrage of tests, the medical team couldn't determine the source of the problems. Her quality of life was no longer at an acceptable level.
During her final two days, Ellen had a steady stream of visitors, all of them stopping over to say goodbye to this dog who was so easy to love."
[...]
"Admittedly, once they heard about Ellen’s background, many of the visitors were somewhat hesitant at first to meet her. After all, there are a lot of myths still floating around about fighting dogs and their personalities. Such reservations, however, only lasted seconds once she turned on the charm. “You could just see them change their perception,” Tom says. “She went a long way toward helping not only the Vick dogs that are here, but pit bulls in general. She helped to dispel the myths about them.”"
Read the full article on the Best Friends Society site here
And watch their tribute video:
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