Last week, Roy passed peacefully over to join the rest of his herd. A year ago, Roy came to SAFE from a sad situation as part of a 7 horses seizure by Pierce County Animal Control. Two had to be euthanized on the property, one left the property but was euthanized at the vet hospital, and two others had to be euthanized after a period of time in holding with Animal Control. As such, Roy was a true survivor and experienced a lot of loss before coming to SAFE. Even prior to his arrival here, it was determined that Roy had a number of medical challenges. In addition to poor teeth that required a special mash diet, Roy had tender feet that did not do well on SAFE’s typical paddock base. We added sand for a cushy footing, and tried glue on shoes, but they were not sustainable for Roy. He was on medication to treat Cushing’s disease, as well as pain medication to help his arthritic joints and delicate feet. We continuously monitored Roy’s comfort level as well as his other medical conditions with the goal of ensuring that his quality of life stayed at the forefront of his care. Roy enjoyed lots of loving attention for the year he lived at SAFE, earning the title ‘King Roy’ and imprinting himself on many hearts. But when the decline in Roy’s quality of life became more and more evident, we determined that the kindest way forward to show respect for Roy was to end his struggle.
His body may have been beyond our help, but the time spent at SAFE surrounded by great care and immense love, restored his spirit. King Roy, you have left a lasting impression on our hearts, and we were grateful for the time we had to know and love you.
