Woman adopts foster dog for one final day despite knowing it would be his last

A woman from New York City named Isabelle Klee (@simonsits) recently came across Zero, a 12-year-old dog who was blind and had a seizure disorder. While the shelter labeled him 'aggressive,' Klee decided to pay no heed to their opinion and adopted him anyway. Putting Zero alongside the several other aged canines she had rescued from a sordid end, Klee knew she could give him the best 'end of life' care — and she did. Her last update came 1 day ago, on December 22, eliciting emotions no less than a Hallmark movie.

Klee revealed that Zero was found as a stray and was supposedly not very affectionate. She had been warned that he would bite his handlers and didn’t display much obedience or calmness. Nevertheless, the woman decided to take her chances and do the best for the canine by bringing him home. For the initial days, Klee tried hard to befriend and comfort Zero as he was in a new environment, and being blind added to the frightening and new experience. Understanding how he might have felt, she gave him the time and space to grow on her. Over several of her videos, Klee documented her efforts to make the canine feel safe. 

Right from cleaning him, giving him comforting blankets, attempting to cuddle and gently pet him, and even giving him his own bed, Klee made him feel like he was already part of their family. Over time, the duo learned that Zero was not doing too well mentally, despite treatments and medical procedures; his health didn’t seem to be in great shape, Klee revealed in an update. “He keeps barking and is distressed,” she noted, adding how medications had stopped working, leaving him even weaker and drowsier. Klee had no choice but to opt for what’s best for Zero, even if it made for earth-shattering news for her. “It’s not fair to keep him alive just to say we’re keeping him alive,” she remarked.

And so, they decided to put Zero down. “This morning, Zero passed from this life to the next. It was calm, peaceful, and surrounded by the people who loved him and the team who tried to help him. His belly was full of a McDonald's cheeseburger and an ice cream sundae,” she wrote. To anyone who has ever had to make the heartbreaking decision, you know that there’s so much guilt, so much pain, such a heavy void. But to Zero, it was the end of his suffering, and more than that, it showed how much love he had received over the last few days of his life. According to the U.S. Animal Shelter Statistics, around 5.8 million dogs and cats entered shelters and rescues last year. Among these, around 607,000 had to be euthanized, and it’s soul-crushing to imagine that they went without knowing what it felt like to be loved and remembered. 

Shelter Animal Count reported that in the U.S., 10 million animals die every year from abuse or cruelty. Hundreds of thousands of animals live in conditions that no one could imagine, and suffer even worse fates before losing their lives. Klee changed Zero's life by taking him in, and in a way, she saved him. From being approached with love to having quiet family movie nights, the canine got the chance to experience what it meant to belong. Though he couldn’t see the gestures visibly, he undoubtedly felt a warmth he probably hadn’t felt in a long time. And that was the greatest gift Klee could give him.

Klee was happy to note that Zero will be remembered as a resilient dog who was loved until his last breath. “If I gave him anything, it's the gift of a person who will miss him long after he's gone,” she wrote. And the internet, consisting of several dog owners, knew that’s a gift better than life itself. @alissawithani_ said, “Thank you for everything you do, especially the hard parts. You are a good person.” @thatpedsheartnurse added, “My senior boy Corky also crossed the rainbow bridge. He’ll show Zero around and be his friend.” 

You can follow Isabelle Klee (@simonsits) on TikTok for more content on rescue dogs, pet parenting, and more. 

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