I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for the tremendous gift you have given me.
I adopted my dog Kota from Hopalong in February 2002, he was only 6 months old at the time and was staying with a foster family. When I saw Kota on your website, I just knew in my heart, he belonged with me and my family.
Within a year, Kota was diagnosed with cancer. With my broken heart and Kota's will to survive, he was able to conquer the cancer with surgery and move on….. For the next 8 years, Kota's life was nothing short of entertaining. Whenever he rode in the car, he would constantly paw my elbow so I would throw treats in the back seat for him and my other dog Jake.… Oddly, Kota was under the impression he was a miniature poodle, who just always wanted to sit on Mom's lap. He never quite understood he was a 130 lb Rottweiler Pit-bull mix! One of my fondest memories of Kota was when I would return home from work. Kota would always be there greeting me at the door with his toy chicken in his mouth. If Kota couldn't find his chicken, he would have this goofy grin on his face, snort like a pig, and wag his giant tail back and forth which would shake his entire body. His unconditional love of life and family always shined through.
In June 2010, Kota was diagnosed with kidney failure. With his will to survive and my broken heart, he once again was determined to fight the disease. After 17 months of medications and IV fluids Kota started to lose the fight. Sadly, on November 28, 2011, my family and I all had to say good bye to Kota. Even though his life was short, the amount of happiness he brought us will forever stay in our hearts. He was true gift from God, his memories and spirit will be with us forever.
In telling you my story, I want to thank you again Hopalong, for doing what you do. Your dedication to helping animals has given me the opportunity to experience Kota's unconditional love for nearly the past 10 years.
In memory of Kota.
