Today We Mourn the Death of Dunkin and Celebrate His Life and Legacy

Dunkin has departed this world for the Rainbow Bridge, but the once-brutally abused dog leaves behind a message of love and kindness.

It is with a heavy heart we announce the death of rescue dog Dunkin the Rhodesian Ridgeback. Suffering from neurological damage, he had probably been used as a bait dog. He had to have a bunch of metal nails removed from his belly, as well as surgery to fix his eyes. He needed a wheelchair for mobility and a strict diet to keep his megaesophagus in check.

The odds were heavily stacked against him, and yet Dunkin embraced the world with a certain kindness in his eyes and his human friends spared no expense in making his life as comfortable as possible for however long it would be.

According to his Facebook page, Dunkin passed away surrounded by friends and family in the comfort of his home when his lungs failed.

While it is always sad to watch our animal friends go to the Rainbow Bridge, Dunkin's final message leaves us with a call to action to continue to be kind and gentle to each other.

Please don’t be sad…while my body may be gone, my legacy is just beginning. All of you have lots of work to do to protect and care for other animals in need…just like you did for me. Please continue to work together to be kind, to be compassionate, and to educate those around you. It would mean the world to me if you could help my mom continue to give those in need, another chance.

My heart swells with love, pride and appreciation for all that each of you have done for me and for each other. Your cards, letters, pictures, prayers and encouragement gave me the strength to live each of my days to the fullest and while my life was short in time, it was rich with your friendship. I love you all.

You can read the rest of Dunkin's touching message here, but make sure to have a tissue handy.

We offer Dunkin's family our deepest condolences, and while these are difficult times, they are also a reminder of the power of compassion. Dunkin died in a warm circle of love -- a far cry from the fate that could have been his had someone not stepped in.

Photos via Dunkin's Facebook page

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Celebrate Adopt a Shelter Dog Month with an ASPCA Prize Pack

Is there a shelter pup in your life? Tell the world with this shirt and other goodies from the ASPCA.

October, as you might already know, is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, and our frinds at the ASPCA want those of you who love sharing the adoption message to turn up the volume with the help of this shirt:

In fact, they want to give one Dogster reader a prize pack full of goodies to help you spread the word on adoption well beyond October. Included: an "I Love My Shelter Dog" tote in addition to the shirt, an ASPCA wristband and magnet, a Humane Law Enforcement handcuffs keycain, and some K9 cookie treats in pea-mutt butter flavor for the best accessory in your homemade adoption campaign: your shelter pup!

HOW TO WIN

If you'd like the prize pack, use your Disqus account to comment below, telling us your shelter pup's story. Creating a Disqus profile and avatar just takes a minute and is a great way to participate in Dogster's community of people who are passionate about dogs. (Please note that if your Disqus account doesn't contain a valid email address, you can't win because we can't contact you. Lame! So please check your account). 

We will pick a random winner on Wednesday, Oct. 31, at noon PST, and contact him/her by email. The winner will have two days to respond or we'll pick another -- that's just how it goes!

The ASPCA would also like to invite you to their virtual Adopt a Shelter Dog Month event, which will take place on their UStream Channel on Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. EST. The live stream will feature behavior experts chatting about the dos and don'ts of bringing a new dog home and vets who will help prepare you for Halloween with some safety tips.

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It's National Holistic Pets Day: A great day to help celebrate healthy dogs!

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Celebrate ‘Spay Day’ in an active way

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