It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share today that the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria has had to say good-bye to our most famous resident, our Artist-in-Residence, and, most of all, our friend Rico.
Those of you who follow the AWLA online or in-person may know that Rico came to us in September of 2018. His giant head and equally large grin made him an instant favorite with staff and volunteers, but his exuberant greetings from within his kennel, coupled with that giant head and 80-pound body, could appear daunting to potential adopters. Fearful of new people and new situations, Rico wasn’t always able to show his loveable personality immediately.
Animals at the AWLA don’t have a “time limit” during which they have to find their family because our generous community supports each and every one who comes through our doors, and it was the same for Rico. At the shelter and in foster homes, Rico proved to be smart, sweet and a couch-hog, and our team worked with Rico to find ways to let his snuggly, sweet nature show. One volunteer suggested that Rico’s constantly-wagging tail could be the key to further enrichment, and “Ricasso” was born. Rico “tail-painted” 20 masterpieces over the summer of 2019 (with the help of some friends) and released them to the public upon his one-year anniversary at the shelter. His closest friends celebrated these milestones with a party, complete with Rico-themed activities, presents for all the shelter animals and even a cake featuring his likeness. A year had gone by, and while Rico still hadn’t found a home, he’d certainly found a family.
In December 2019, Rico determined he wanted to help the shelter that had given him so much, and we hosted an auction of his paintings, headlined by the artist himself. Rico raised more than $4,000 for the AWLA and garnered international attention. But he didn’t let his big head get bigger; throughout it all, his favorite things were a dip in the AWLA paddle pool, time with his favorite bowling pin-shaped toy and snuggles with his AWLA friends.
Rico’s concerns about new people and dogs continued, and we determined that to give him the best chance of finding a family in the busy, urban Northern Virginia environment, Rico was going to need more than we could provide. After a lot of research and consultation with experts, we found a program that specialized in helping dogs like Rico with their fears and anxieties. This past February, Rico took a road trip to Florida with one of his very favorite staff members, along the way enjoying a hotel stay and a lot of junk food. Over the weeks of his training period, Rico’s behavior progressed, and we had high hopes that we might be able to help him find a family in Virginia after all this time.
But last week we received a call. After noticing that Rico was limping, the team working with Rico in Florida ran some medical tests. Radiographs showed that many of his vertebrae were rapidly aging, and the space between the vertebral disks had narrowed, putting pressure on his spinal nerves and causing stiffness and loss of mobility. Our friend was in pain, and it was getting worse. After consulting with several veterinary experts, it was concluded that any type of treatment was unlikely to be successful and would cause Rico such discomfort and desolation that his quality of life would be severely decreased. Nothing could alleviate the pain he was feeling now, and it would only get worse in the future.
In the world of animal welfare, one of the hardest things is to say good-bye to a beloved friend, and Rico is truly loved. It is for that reason that we did not want him to be hurting or to be afraid. On his last day, Rico had the chance to splash in the many pools that dot the facility where he had been staying. He ate some of his favorite treats. He tore apart a toy or two. And he said good-bye to his friends in Virginia, who could not travel to see him because of the current health climate. He had one last good day, in what we hope was a lifetime where he had the opportunity to have a lot of good days, and he left this world, unafraid and no longer hurting.
While we wish Rico’s story could have ended differently, with a home where he was spoiled rotten, we hope that while he was with us, Rico was happy. He may not have found a home, but he had a family with the volunteers and staff who adored him and the community who supported him along his journey. We were grateful for the time that we had with Rico, no matter how short it seemed. Rico, thank you for being part of our lives; you were so loved, and we will never forget you.