Age: 11 years
Regional Area: East
Breed: Labrador Retriever Blend
Status: Angel
Received Wings: November 2024
We’re heart-broken to share that Cooper Murray passed peacefully in our arms yesterday afternoon. We adopted Cooper 3 ½ years ago to be a playmate for Benson Finley, a 2-year-old golden we had adopted one year prior. Cooper came into rescue at 102 pounds but was down to a healthy 75 pounds by the end of that first summer. He had a new lease on life and loved every minute of it!
Cooper was the first Lab we’ve known and embodied the happy-go-lucky and adorable traits typical of the breed. Nothing bothered Cooper and he was the eternal optimist – he saw every person and animal he met as a new friend and was always eager to please, especially if it might earn a treat! Cooper’s eagerness to try new things and his confident demeanor encouraged Benson, who’s a bit timid about going out in the dark, riding in the car and large boxes or trash bins. In turn, Benson taught Cooper how to play with dogs, not just people, and introduced him to his favorite summertime activity, eating wild blackberries all summer on the trails of our property in North Carolina.
Cooper had a way of knowing who needed a smile or hug and was especially fond of children. We joined Hearts of Gold in February and visited assisted living facilities and schools with the teams on the East coast. Cooper had a little fan club among the kids and staff at Meadowlane Elementary and a special bond with their resource officer. We’re so glad Cooper visited them all this fall before his mobility worsened. His last visit was only 11 days ago!
We had no idea that sweet Cooper’s body was riddled with cancer until 2 days ago. He had been fighting anemia for the past several months and was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in September, right around the same time he started limping. He had such a cute loping gait that we started calling him Hop Along! We also learned that Cooper was likely 5 or 6 years older than we thought, making him around 11 instead of 5.
Over the past 2 months Cooper saw 8 different veterinarians in NC and FL, and he loved every minute! The more places to see and people to touch and love on him, the happier Cooper was. He started rehab therapy 2 weeks ago and was too cute in the goggles he had to wear for laser therapy. Unfortunately, during his second session this past Friday, we felt a mass under his shoulder blade and scheduled a CT scan for Monday. Cooper’s health deteriorated rapidly over the weekend, until he let us know he was done on Sunday afternoon.
Our special boy is pain-free now and we have so many memories to comfort us as we grieve this sudden and unexpected loss. Cooper’s optimistic outlook and enthusiasm will live with us always.
Thank you to the GRRMF volunteers and supporters who make new life possible for dogs in need like Cooper.
Farewell, Cooper
Mary and Bob W.
