Dog was dying when owner made tragic decision. ‘Almost the last day of her life’
An owner in Philadelphia had to make probably one of the most heartbreaking choices in their life — the possibility of their precious dog dying, or giving her up to save her life.
“Last Friday was almost the last day of Varie’s life,” the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said in an Aug. 8 Facebook post.
“In the sweltering heat of a 90+ degree day, a Philadelphia Police officer was flagged down on Lehigh Avenue. Lying on the pavement was Varie. She was barely conscious, her body overheated, and her breathing shallow. By her side was her owner, who was unhoused and doing everything they could in a heartbreaking situation.”
Time wasn’t on the side of the shelter and the quickly fading Varie, so whatever needed to be done, had to be done within a tiny window of time.
“The officer rushed both of them to our shelter. There, with love and heartbreak, Varie’s owner made the difficult decision to surrender her so that she could receive the critical care she desperately needed,” the shelter continued.
“The situation was dire. Was she already beyond help?”
Varie was already showing advanced signs of heatstroke. That includes a temperature of over 104 degrees, weakness and collapsing, and other deadly signs, PetMD listed.
“Varie was seizing. Her body was covered in bruising, a sign of late-stage heat stroke. We feared she may have suffered bleeding in her brain and that her internal organs were shutting down,” the shelter posted. “Our medical team moved fast, stabilizing her, giving her multiple plasma transfusions, and fighting against the odds. “
“And Varie? She fought too.”
“Today, she is stable. Thriving. Bright-eyed. Wagging her tail. She survived.”
For more information, visit the shelter’s website.
This story was originally published August 8, 2025 at 11:53 AM with the headline "Dog was dying when owner made tragic decision. ‘Almost the last day of her life’."