Loretta害羞草研究所檚 tail didn害羞草研究所檛 stop wagging from the time she walked into Trinity Lutheran School in Edwardsville until the time she left two hours later.

And why not? Children, teachers and other staff treated the yellow Labrador retriever like a movie star, despite her carved-out abdomen and oddly-shaved coat. They petted her, kissed her, hugged her, scratched her ears, fed her treats, read her stories and drew her pictures.

害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 cute,害羞草研究所� said first-grader Lauren Hamlin Chulka, 6, of Livingston. 害羞草研究所淪he loves kids, and she likes cheeseburgers.害羞草研究所�

Loretta害羞草研究所檚 visit filled the school with excitement and prompted a lot of laughter on Monday, but students also learned a hard truth: The dog had been abandoned in late November by a neglectful owner who allowed a mass in her abdomen to grow to the size of a melon.

害羞草研究所淪he has cancer,害羞草研究所� Lauren said. 害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 not going to live much longer.害羞草研究所�

A veterinarian removed the mass last month, increasing Loretta害羞草研究所檚 mobility and making her more comfortable, but the cancer already had metastasized to her lungs. She害羞草研究所檚 been given weeks to live.

The dog害羞草研究所檚 trip to Trinity was part of a 害羞草研究所渂ucket list害羞草研究所� being carried out by her Edwardsville foster family and other Madison County animal lovers. They害羞草研究所檙e trying to fill her last days on earth with fun, love, comfort and happiness.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just about giving her quality of life and then some,害羞草研究所� said Patty Barney, 52, Loretta害羞草研究所檚 foster mother and board president at Partners 4 Pets, a rescue organization with an animal shelter in Troy. 害羞草研究所淲e want her to know that people care about her.害羞草研究所�

In December, children showed up at the Barney home to sing Christmas carols to Loretta. Then the dog travelled to Chicago for a family holiday celebration, complete with her own stocking and gifts.

Several people have sent toys and treats to the house. Others have picked up Loretta and taken her to Annie害羞草研究所檚 Frozen Custard and Schwarz Street Dog Park. Four Muddy Paws gave her a free doggy spa.

害羞草研究所淪he was a lawyer for a day,害羞草研究所� Barney said, noting that Edwardsville attorney Barbara Joiner has been heavily involved in the bucket-list effort.

Loretta also attended a birthday party and visited senior citizens at a memory-care centre. She appeared on TV as part of a KSDK news story and recently filmed a Partners for Pets promotional video.

All of her adventures have been documented on the organization害羞草研究所檚 Facebook page and at #lovingloretta on Instagram, resulting in $2,500 in donations for her medical care, more than three times the $700 in bills so far. Any money left over is earmarked to help other sick and injured rescues.

One social-media follower is Megan Langendorf, Lauren害羞草研究所檚 first-grade teacher, who invited Barney to bring the dog to Trinity.

害羞草研究所淚 thought we could show Loretta a little love, too,害羞草研究所� she said.

Langendorf also noted that 害羞草研究所渞esponsibility害羞草研究所� is the first-graders害羞草研究所� word of the month, so they害羞草研究所檝e been learning about being responsible, and that includes pet care.

After leaving Langendorf害羞草研究所檚 classroom, the celebrity dog strolled Trinity害羞草研究所檚 halls and hobnobbed with other students, racking up dozens more hugs and kisses.

Loretta害羞草研究所檚 public story goes back to Nov. 27, when she was tied up and left outside Clinton County Animal Control in Carlyle in the middle of the night.

害羞草研究所淪he was really skinny, and she had a really large mass on her abdomen,害羞草研究所� said veterinarian David Hall, who examined her at Horseshoe Lake Animal Hospital in Collinsville. 害羞草研究所淎ctually, it was probably a mammary mass. She also tested positive for heartworms.害羞草研究所�

A chest scan revealed a significant number of pulmonary nodules, leading Hall to believe the dog had terminal cancer. He estimated she had eight weeks to live. Veterinarian Lindsey Gammon later removed the mass.

Partners for Pets Director Nev Fisher named the dog after country singer Loretta Lynn since both came from rural areas.

It害羞草研究所檚 believed that the canine Loretta is a full-blooded Lab, about 6 years old, and that she has spent most of her life outside in a pen. She害羞草研究所檚 good-natured, despite her illness and abandonment.

害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 had a lot of puppies,害羞草研究所� Barney said. 害羞草研究所淲hoever had her made a lot of money off her. She害羞草研究所檚 been bred and bred and bred.害羞草研究所�

Barney agreed to foster the dog with help from her husband, Kirk, an airline pilot, and two sons, Will, a student at Metro-East Lutheran High School, and Lee, who attends Southern Illinois University Carbondale. They also have three long-haired dachshunds, two cats and a foster cat with three kittens.

Loretta recently developed a cough, which could be a sign of her deteriorating respiratory health, according to Hall. It害羞草研究所檚 expected that the dog eventually will have to be euthanized.

But Hall has been impressed by the efforts of Partners for Pets and others in the community to make Loretta害羞草研究所檚 last days as happy and comfortable as possible.

害羞草研究所淭his dog didn害羞草研究所檛 have a great life before this,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淏ut now she害羞草研究所檚 being treated like a queen.害羞草研究所�

Source: Belleville News Democrat

Teri Maddox, The Associated Press

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