5th Annual Strut Your Mutt

The Albany Chapter was created to help raise money for research, awareness of canine cancer and support and educate those who have bared the news of this horrible diagnosis. My name is Jennifer and my husband, Michael and daughter, Adelyn, lost our handsome Dogue de Bordeaux, Tuga to cancer June of 2015. On March 21st, 2015, we heard the words that we never wanted to hear from our veterinarian. He was diagnosed with aggressive metastatic liver cancer and was considered hospice care, given only weeks to live. As Tuga was only 5 years old, we struggled with the diagnosis and fate of our “puppy”. His diagnosis changed our lives and we devoted our time and efforts in making him as comfortable and happy as possible. We cooked his meals every day, as he was always nauseas and kibble just wasn’t suiting his palate any longer. We gave him fish oil and other holistic therapies that included acupuncture. He was as vibrant as he was when he was 5 months old; which at times, gave us a sense of false hope. He lived through his 6th birthday and for a total of 3 months, until one morning, he took a turn for the worse. Our plan for Tuga was to allow him to cross the rainbow bridge at home since he despised the vet office! But unfortunately, that was not how things worked out. In the end, he was surrounded by the family that adored him, including his canine sister, Moosha. Sadly, 10 months later, Moosha joined Tuga at the rainbow bridge when she passed away, after losing her own brief, one week battle with cancer. Michael, Adelyn and I began the local chapter in Tuga’s memory and continue to honor it with Moosha’s memory, and the memories of all those furry family members lost to this disease. We hope that one day, families will not have to bear the pain that we did, when we said goodbye to our “babies” for the final time.