CINCINNATI - A Price Hill woman dedicates her life to helping animals, especially the unwanted. Now she's having to say goodbye to one of her best friends.
One of her six adopted senior dogs is suffering from degenerative myelopathy. But this pet's time on earth is being used to inspire change.
Carol Alvin is known by the community as an angel for animals. She has had 14-year Pastor since May 2014.
"I don't know if it's the nurse in me that loves to care for beings or people or animals. I had an affinity for the older dogs," Alvin said.
Her Price Hill home has been these dogs' sanctuary. Her first adoption was in 2008 - a 9-year-old dog named Shasta.
"My life changed. All I could think of was all the Shastas that could be out in the world."
Now her home has expanded to six.
"Shadow, whom I had for nine years … she's a Husky. She came from a kill shelter in Ohio. Peyton Boy is my Samoyed. She was abandoned in a house down in Kentucky."
But her partner in crime is Pastor, a dog that would depend on her unlike any other.
"He has what's called degenerative myelopathy and it's where the nerve endings don't connect with the muscles."
Because of her care, Pastor lived three times longer than had been expected. A hapopy life.
But recently a vet told her the hardest news: He would have to be put down on Sunday.
"Living like this – being this disabled – is a burden for him. By letting him go, I'm taking the burden off of him and putting it onto me."
Taking the burden off these dogs.
She said his legacy will inspire change.
"I'm going to write a book about caring for Pastor... We're all beings, and they deserve to be loved and they deserve to be given every opportunity to have a life that's meaningful."
