Butch never had a chance.

This Boston Terrier, sadly, ended up with an owner who didn't really want him. After a couple of fails with a shock collar, this owner cast Butch aside. For two and a half years, this pup was outside as a neighborhood dog in Pinson. He ate garbage. He was occasionally fed by neighbors. He scrounged. But nobody took him in. Nobody alerted animal control. He just was.

And a week before Thanksgiving, Butch was found in a yard, struggling to draw a breath. He was a very sick dog.

Alicia Buzbee and her daughter Kansas Humphrey came to the rescue. They lived in another neighborhood in Pinson, but they took the battered Boston in, had him vetted and contacted Birmingham Boston Terrier Rescue, which took the dog immediately.

After the Boston Terrier Rescue's vet examined Butch, the news wasn't good. Butch had very little lung capacity. His trachea was leaking. His heart swollen. There was nothing the docs could do, and Butch reluctantly was scheduled for a humane euthanasia. Except Alicia and Kansas wanted to give Butch some good days. The best days of his short life. A last Thanksgiving.

So the euthanasia was put off for a few days, and during those few days, Alicia and Kansas gave Butch the life he always deserved. And Butch rallied. He didn't struggle to breathe. He ate hamburgers. He ate pumpkin pie. He played with toys and slept glommed to Kansas. He lived, like he had never lived before.

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And then last Friday, at about noon, he fell off the cliff.

Once again, he struggled to breathe. He was in pain. And nothing Alicia did worked. She sent for oxygen, but Butch's lungs had no lung capacity. His neck bulged from the leaking trach.

Alicia was devastated. Butch had been given a reprieve. But the love, as much as there was, couldn't stop the inevitable. Butch was doomed by an owner who gave up on him. He was neglected for years. He was sentenced to death.

"Boston Terriers aren't supposed to be outside dogs at all," said Buzbee. Yet, Butch had been outside for more than two years, even during last year's hard freeze and snow. "We're not sure how old he is. I figured if he's been roaming for 2 1/2 years, Butch may be four or five, if that. He looks old because he's been living on the street, and he hasn't had the care he deserves."

Butch's prognosis wasn't good. Buzbee took him to her vet, who gave Butch some steroids to help his breathing. Then, Birmingham Boston Terrier Rescue stepped in and took him to their regular veterinarians.

"There was no lung capacity on his X-rays," said a spokesperson for the veterinary clinic.

"It's not a matter of money," said Donna Farmer, president of Birmingham Boston Terrier Rescue. "If we could do anything, we would. It's not like we rushed into anything. We could see he was physically suffering."

Still, when Butch rallied, the euthanasia was called off. Butch did well for a couple days. He had treats, presents, visits, hugs, love. Love like he'd never received before.

But it was too late.

Even so, Buzbee and her daughter Kansas gave Butch some happy days. In a week, this Boston Terrier had more care and love than he'd received his entire life. There was a party. When I first met Butch, he was scarfing down a Jack's cheeseburger. He had pumpkin pie. And on Thanksgiving, he enjoyed love with Buzbee's family and friends.

He was doing fine Friday morning. But at about noon, Butch's breathing issues returned. His enlarged heart couldn't pump enough blood into his system to keep him from panic or fear. No matter how much love he had.

"Before he goes, I want him to look into my eyes, and I want to look into his eyes, and I want to whisper, I love you. I love you. I love you," Buzbee said. "I want him to hear those words and to see those faces of the people who love him.

"I don't want him to suffer, and I know he is," Buzbee added. "But I feel like he's got hope in him because he's feeling love. The heart can do so many things when it gets what it needs."

It can, for sure, but not this time. This time, neglect caught up with Butch. The little pup was broken. Despite all the care Buzbee and Kansas gave him, he was too far gone.

And so on Saturday, at about noon, Butch crossed the Rainbow Bridge, a peaceful parting, surrounded by the people who love him.

Butch is gone. His spirit lives on.