Murphy Sapia

People tell me I saved Murphy. Murphy had a rough start in life. For his first couple of years, he was kept either outside or in a small cage in a basement. A scar on the back his neck showed where a chain or rope wore away his thick fur. When he was finally surrendered to the shelter in January 2000, at two and a half years old, his original owners listed "rocks" as his favorite toy. Why they gave him up isn't really known except they said they didn't have time for him. A handsome dog, he was adopted from the shelter twice but was returned each time because it hadn't "worked out." Maybe he didn't know how to behave in a home. Or maybe he just couldn't completely trust people. By the Fall of 2000, Murphy had been at the Humane Society nearly eight months --- longer than any other dog there. This wasn't one of those modern "no kill" shelters that keeps animals until they're adopted. Unfortunately, this shelter was routinely forced to euthanize perfectly healthy dogs and cats when they ran out of room for new arrivals or when it became clear an animal would not be adopted. Most people thinking of adopting prefer puppies and young dogs. There wasn't a lot of demand for the oldest dog at the shelter --- a nearly three year old Murphy. It seemed clear that his time was running out. I was grieving over the premature death of a special dog, Morgan, when I found Murphy and took him home. Good natured and often funny, he quickly became an important member of the family. It was a joy watching him assimilate himself to a happy, comfortable home life. He discovered the fun of playing with real toys and always had several nearby. He loved running in the yard, barking at the dogs next door, opening Christmas presents, and giving doggie kisses. He especially liked squeaky toys, the noisier the better. It usually took him a little while to get to know new people but once he knew he could trust you he was a pleasure to be around. After being adopted, Murphy became something of a celebrity at the shelter, a real "feel good" story of a dog who had been saved. He represented the Humane Society in several community parades and was always a welcome visitor at their annual events. He even attended two of their Black Tie and Tails Dinner Galas. In 2009, at 12 years old, Murphy was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his left front leg. Already with degenerative hips, Murphy wasnt a good candidate for amputation --- the standard treatment for osteosarcoma. We were certain his death was imminent. Considering his sad early years, it seemed a cruel ending for this great dog. We resigned ourselves to making his remaining time as comfortable as possible. Soon, the cancer weakened the bone so much that he suffered a pathologic fracture in his "wrist." It hardly slowed him, though. Despite what must have been considerable pain, he happily hobbled around, so full of energy and life. But the cancer wouldn't allow the bone to heal and we couldn't allow him to continue in this way. We would be forced to euthanize him to save him from what would be a worsening condition in his leg. Then, by chance, we learned of the possibility of surgery to fix the break, remove the cancerous tumor, and save the leg. It would be a long and difficult surgery, especially for a 12 year old, but aside from the bad leg, Murphy seemed the picture of health. We had to give him a chance. Murphy came through the operation and recovery like a champ. His surgeon said he was, "one tough little dog." He had always been a happy-go-lucky, carefree kind of dog and the limb-sparing surgery gave him extra months of vitality. But the cancer, although now gone from his leg, had spread to other parts of his body. To complicate matters, he suffered a fractured bone in his repaired leg. It was all too much for even this spunky little dog to deal with and on January 11, the bright and lively symphony of his life was silenced forever. Murphy lived life fully. He was affectionate, loved his family and made many friends along the way. He gave many a reason to smile. People tell me I saved Murphy. Perhaps. But I think, really, we saved each other.

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