Dogs really are man’s best friend, all the way to the end.
John Vincent of Albuquerque, N.M., had a wish after he moved into hospice at the Raymond G. Murphy Veterans Affairs Medical Center: to see his dog one last time.
His wish was granted last week by Albuquerque Animal Welfare, which brought the veteran’s beloved dog, Patch, to his room. The man had to surrender his dog when he was admitted to the hospice as he has no family in the area.
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The sweet reunion went on to win hearts this week after Albuquerque Animal Welfare shared photos of the touching moment.
Amy Neal, a palliative care social worker, shared how the reunion came about.
“I asked him if that’s something that would be meaningful for him,” she told the Albuquerque Journal. “And it came together very quickly.”
When Vincent saw Patch, his eyes lit up, the local publication reported.
“Yeah, that’s me, that’s daddy,” he told the dog. “Are you so happy to see me? I’m so happy to see you.”
“Yesterday we were able to make their final reunion happen,” the department captioned the photos.
In the photos, Patch can be seen sitting happily on Vincent’s arm, looking up at him.
The emotional story has captured many in the organization’s Facebook page.
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“God bless you folks for helping bring this man some of his last sweet and meaningful memories,” another said.
One person in the comments shared a story of her own dog she adopted after its senior owner passed away.
They shared a photo of a small grey dog, writing: “My lil 14 year old that I adopted after his owner passed. I love him so. I have had him for a month and he has brought me a lot of joy.”
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