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Distraught pet owner helps her terminally-ill dog complete 'bucket list' before he dies

Distraught pet owner helps her terminally-ill dog complete 'bucket list' before he dies

A devastated animal lover whose terminally-ill boxer dog died last month gave him one last treat - by helping her pet complete his very own ‘pooch bucket list’.

Riina Cooke was distraught when her best friend, boxer dog Romeo, nine, was diagnosed with inoperable bone cancer by vets last year.

She was so upset that she decided to write a list of things for him to experience in his last few months - including eating a steak dinner and riding in a police car.
 
Riina, 32, said: ‘I was just so upset for the first few days, I needed to do something to occupy my mind.
 
‘Osteacarcoma is not treatable. The only treatment is amputation and the rest of his body isn’t strong enough as he was too old.
 
‘I decided to put together a list of fun thing for us to do together, for example, riding a police car and fire engine, having a steak dinner, professional massage, try sushi and to go on a blind date with another boxer.



‘We were able to complete them all and Romeo even visited the USA.’
 
The boxer experienced many things while completing the bucket list, including spending his ninth birthday at a spa having a 'pawicure'.
 
Riina said: ‘I hope by sharing Romeo's bucket list on Facebook that it will bring light to other people who are going through something similair.

 

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‘It gave my dog the chance to experience things most will never get chance to.
 
‘His favourite thing on the bucket list was definitely the steak dinner.
 
Sadly, when Romeo returned from the trip abroad his conditioned worsened.
 
‘I made the heart breaking decision to put him down as he was in horrendous pain with his back legs.’



Riina doesn't have any children, and despite being petrified of losing her companion, she wanted to make his few days count.
 
But just four months after being diagnosed, vets had to put him to sleep on March 16th - but not before he had ticked everything off the bucket list.
 
She said: ‘It was bittersweet, I had to let Romeo go, we had so many great memories together but it wasn't fair to keep him alive when he was in so much pain.

 

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‘Everyone loved him, he was such a kind hearted dog.’
 
After years of sharing her home with Romeo, Riina hated not having a dog and decided to get another one in his memory - Elvis.
 
She added: ‘I'll never forgot Romeo, he will always have a place in my heart, he was like my first child.
 
‘Elvis will grow up knowing how brave his big brother, Romeo, was.’