How tragic it is to reflect on Tank’s journey. This November marks his fourth anniversary of being confined within those walls—a life that no creature deserves. Regrettably, he carried with him a host of health problems, and I can only imagine he no longer resembles the vibrant dog we remember from his photos. His condition brings to mind the haunting memory of Dingo, who suffered terribly during her time in the same shelter.

Tank was battling allergic dermatitis across his entire body, along with severe pododermatitis affecting his left front and right rear paws, not to mention other ailments. It’s hard to fathom how long it took for him to receive the care he desperately needed. Those symptoms didn’t just appear overnight. To add to his struggles, he was diagnosed with a virus on October 8th—one can’t help but wonder if it’s the same one making its rounds in the shelter. The neglect, the suffering—it all weighs heavily on the heart.

Tank was killed by a severe overdose—three to five times the dosage that Dr. Taylor directed—administered by unqualified personnel at the shelter. He went into anaphylactic shock and suffered greatly, as the ultra-high dosage could not be processed by his liver and kidneys due to his age. Meanwhile, the alleged dog bite from an untrained attendant has not been documented and has been kept secret by the Animal Services Director and County Attorney Melanie Marsh. After nine days in isolation, Tank was nearly fully recovered before Shelter Director Cohen ordered his death. If you want to see the documentation, please message me. Julian R. Harper.