KELLER — After a pet hospice company helped care for a Keller girl’s dying dog, the 11-year-old went on a mission to give back to that company.
Olivia Orth recently gave $216 to Chelsea´s Fund, a non-profit organization that gives pet parents financial assistance during pets final days.Chelsea’s Fund paid most of the cost of an ultrasound needed for Olivia’s dog Cleo, a 12-year-old Shiba Inu, who died of cancer in December.After the diagnosis, Cleo was cared for by Beyond the Rainbow pet hospice, the company that started Chelsea’s Fund."Once she was diagnosed, we went home and hospice took over from there," said Cami Orth, Olivia’s mother.The company would make visits often to check on Cleo and give pain medicine as needed. When the time came to say goodbye, the euthanasia service was done at the house."It definitely makes things easier," Orth said. "When they are sick, you don’t want to drag them to the place they fear the most."Olivia said seeing the love and care provided to Cleo by the pet hospice company was inspiration to raise money so others could get help."I made home-made dog treats and sold them around the neighborhood," she said.Olivia also made money from selling snow cones, lemonade and calendars.Kate Moore and Terry Branson, owners of Beyond the Rainbow, said getting the money was a total surprise and means the world to them."Olivia is the most wonderful little girl that we’ve ever known," Moore said. "She knows more about grief and loss and death and dying than any little girl."Moore said besides providing home euthanasia and cremating Cleo, Beyond the Rainbow has cremated 10 of Olivia’s gerbils and three of her goldfish."She has done more healthy grieving than anyone we know," Moore said.Moore said Beyond the Rainbow has served about 1,000 families since the company opened three years ago, with 25 families receiving financial assistance through Chelsea’s Fund.For more information about Beyond the Rainbow and Chelsea’s Fund, go to texaspethospice.com.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
