Dog In and Out of Shelters for 12 Years Finds Her Forever Family After Terminal Cancer Diagnosis (Exclusive)

Rosita is making the most of her golden years.

According to Best Friends Animal Society, the 13-year-old dog has spent most of his life in and out of animal shelters. The journey recently led her to a best friends retreat in Kanab, Utah, where she finally found her forever home.

“Rosita was transferred to Best Friends from a facility in Arizona with medical records dating back to 2021. So we can assume she was in and out of shelters for several years before she arrived here. She arrived with a severe injury that spanned from her neck, chest and torso almost all the way down one of her front legs,” Jamie Prewett, life-saving outcomes specialist at Best Friends, tells PEOPLE.

Prewett adds that while it will never be clear what led to Rosita’s injuries, the dog found the care she needed to recover at Best Friends.

“Rosita’s injuries forced her to spend quite a few months at our sanctuary clinic, where she received great care and made a lot of good friends,” says Prewett.

Dog Rosita enjoys one of her favorite activities — swimming!.

Molly Wald/Animal Society Best Friends

Unfortunately, there were some health issues that Best Friends couldn’t solve. Rosita has terminal, inoperable bladder cancer. But this diagnosis does not mean that the dog has stopped enjoying life.

When she first met the dog, Prewett says Rosita “immediately pounced on me with a huge smile, her whole body squirming and her tail wagging. I fell in love with her immediately. It’s almost impossible not to.”

“Rosie steals the spotlight as soon as she walks into a room. She’s got a lot of presence about herself. She has a youthful, fun energy that makes it hard to believe she’s almost 13,” he adds.

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Prewett became so smitten with Rosita that she introduced the dog to her husband, Marc Supancich, a life-saving and grooming expert at Best Friends, and he fell in love with the dog as well.

“Rosita has a big heart with a big smile,” says Supancich.

Soon Prewett and Supancich started fostering Rosita to spend more time with the dog and help with her care.

Dog Rosita in the ball pit.

Jamie Prewett

“Jamie came up to me one day and said, ‘What if we adopt Rosie?’ Without hesitation, it was an absolute yes. I thought, ‘Let’s give her the most amazing and fulfilling life we ​​can offer her for the rest of her time here,'” Supancich recalls.

“She fit in so well with our family – our dogs, our cats, our child and ourselves. It was a ‘just’ moment for me,” adds Prewett.

The family officially adopted the dog in August and over time fell even more in love with the dog. As the family works to show Rosita that she deserves happiness and love during her final chapter; the dog teaches its new owners just as much.

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“Rosie has been an amazing addition to our family. She has taught us so much about how to really enjoy the present moment. She has shown me how a little love from others can be so beneficial for physical and mental well-being,” says Supancich.

Prewett and Supancich know their time with Rosita is limited due to the pet’s terminal cancer diagnosis and that reality can be tough. Still, the couple say they have no regrets about making Rosita’s life the best it could be.

Rosita the dog enjoys the snow in Utah.

Jamie Prewett

“Cancer is a horrible thing to watch for anyone to go through. It’s a roller coaster full of ups and downs, good days and bad days. The most important thing is that we love her, give her comfort and peace and make sure that every day is the best it can be. A broken heart overshadowed is a prize,” Prewett says, adding, “We try not to think too much about losing her. Instead, we just do our best to focus on the here and now and enjoy each other, we’re gone with our puppy.”

Those precious moments together are spent doing Rosita’s favorite things: swimming, eating peanut butter, cuddling with her three dog and cat siblings, and meeting new people.

“She’s wild, full of joy, gentle and crazy. One of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever met, as well as one of the best cuddle buddies I’ve ever met. She’s got it all,” Prewett says of the pooch.

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The dog’s devoted family hopes Rosita’s adoption story will inspire others to provide homes for older pets and animals with health problems.

“I hope people will have more confidence in themselves to consider doing something like this. We need to overcome the fear of grief and replace it with a willingness to give dogs like Rosita a soft landing. I understand how difficult it can be to make the decision to adopt an older dog, especially one who is fostered but doesn’t really feel like it. They deserve the comfort of a home and the love of a family,” says Prewett.

To learn more about Best Friends Animal Society and how to get involved through adoption, fostering and volunteering, visit the organization’s website.

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Source: HIS Education