Good Bye Levi

There are heavy hearts at Home At Last tonight. When Levi came to us he had a history of hoof issues, but we had been able to treat them with pain meds and antibiotics.

He lived in a stall while we first evaluated him and it was decided that to have the best quality of life he should be a part of a herd. He was in the upper herd where he and Rosie bonded. They had a great time with the horses there.

When the last abscess started we put he and Rosie back in the barn where he was treated with oral pain meds and antibiotics. Farrier Aaron Hamon open his abscess and we soaked his foot. We even put a medicated diaper on his foot. When that didn't work we gave him his medications in injection form. He received double doses sometimes, but nothing helped.

He and Rosie seemed to be depressed in the barn so we let them out at liberty where we could medicate and feed him as much as he wanted, but he didn't get better and kept losing weight.

Today Aaron, Dr. Darling, Jim and I did another evaluation. Levi was a beautiful, sweet, kind and loving boy. He was so brave during all his treatments. We knew what we should do, but kept trying to come up with just one more idea to help him. Levi cast the final ballot when he put his head on Jim's chest, looked him right in the eye and held up his very painful foot. We could all hear him say, "Please, help me. End my suffering." There wasn't one of us who wasn't crying. The message was so clear.

When Dr. Darling went to get his injections Levi walked over to the trailer and waited for him. The animals here always get a sedative before the final injection, and when Levi got the sedation he gave a sigh of relief. He was ready to go to the Rainbow Bridge.

Home At Last strives to give every animal here a great quality of life. Sometimes the best we can do is to give them the final act of kindness.

When I fed tonight Rosie went to Levi's spot and ate where Levi usually ate.

Good bye, Levi. We will miss you.