During his final days, Manolo was surrounded by love and companionship.
Coeli Fortun had adopted him when everyone had given up on him as a hopeless case: an elderly, partially blind shih tzu whom nobody wanted. She took him with her to Canada along with her partner, Sean, and their cat Snuffles. But in February 2025, something changed. Manolo began waking up during the night letting out loud cries and, over time, these episodes also began happening during the day. He would only calm down when they hugged him and slowly massaged his neck. The veterinarians suspected a back problem, but the X-rays came back normal. The diagnosis was something else: canine dementia.
They gave him supplements for cognitive decline and treatments for arthritis, but over time, everything got worse. Then, the couple decided that his final days would be a celebration of love. They surrounded him with special activities, veterinarians, photographers, and friends who had been there for him. On October 2, 2025, they also invited strangers to spend some time with Manolo at his favorite place, so they could pet him, give him a treat, and accompany him as they said goodbye. That same day, Manolo was euthanized in the company of his family.
“Everyone cried, but everyone noticed the same thing: Manolo seemed peaceful for the first time in a long time”, his owner said.