Basil’s Legacy

Basil was a puppy mill puppy, a "purebred" miniature schnauzer who was born with a congenital liver disease and deemed "unfit for sale". After spending the first six months of his life living at a veterinary facility as they tried to find him a home, he was rescued on the same day his time was up, and began a brand new life in Brooklyn in April of 2012.

Over the next six years and change, Basil lived the kind of life every dog deserves. Long walks in Prospect Park, gourmet home cooked dinners, lazy mornings cuddled in bed, the best in holistic healthcare, and even a large and loving extended family. 

In 2014 he moved from Brooklyn to Florida for a six month hiatus, where he enjoyed a lush backyard and a whole host of new smells and adventures. A seasoned jet-setter, Basil also traveled frequently and enthusiastically with his humans, exploring destinations like Canada, Las Vegas, Portland, and Washington DC.  He also attended a Tony Robbins seminar in 2017, where he made all kinds of new connections and had a breakthrough or two of his own.

Always the alpha-dog of an ever-changing family of rescues, Basil's objective was to be everyone's best friend, regardless of species or personality. He became a big brother to Reggie in 2014, and was patient and diligent in showing him the ropes despite Reg's violent past. An experienced and gentle cat-wrangler, he maintained order when one of his kitty sisters gave birth to a litter four in 2017.

Basil was powerfully loved. His charm and vulnerability had far less to do with what amazing dog he was, and much more to do with how incredibly human he was - uncannily well behaved and smarter than most people, anyone who spent time with Basil was blown away by his personality and initiative. He even practiced many effective methods of communication, often mimicking his Mom's words back to her during particularly heated arguments or silly tickle sessions. He was compassionate and proactive, gentle and understanding, and often knew his human companions better than they knew themselves. Though being 'just a dog' is a perfectly noble fate, he proved to be that and so much more in his short life. 

True to form, Basil made sure to live his best life right up until the last moments. Though he maintained excellent health his entire life, symptoms of and complications with his disease started showing up halfway through 2018. With a little help he was able to thrive through a beautiful summer, but after a couple of scary days at VERG North Veterinary Hospital, he succumbed to late stage liver failure in his mom's arms in the early morning of September 23rd, 2018.

The devastation of losing Basil will only be healed with some patience, but the stress of a large and completely unexpected veterinary hospital bill is a right-now thing. The total cost of Basil's final vet bill came to $2289.80, an amount his family is unable to fully cover at this time. All funds donated up to $2300.00 will go directly to pay off the bill in full.

Every dollar raised above $2,300.00USD will be donated in Basil's name to Positive Tails and SocialTees, two organizations who work tirelessly in hopes of providing the kind of life Basil lived for companion animals all over NYC and beyond.

Positive Tails  is a non-profit organization working in conjunction with Veterinary Emergency and Referral Group (VERG) of Brooklyn that improves both animal and community welfare in the New York area by funding the care of abused animals, using resources to benefit and reduce the displaced animal population, and assisting individuals and families who cannot afford medical treatment for their sick or injured pets.

Social Tees Animal Rescue  is a not-­for-profit, strictly no-­kill 501c3 organization in the East Village of NYC that takes abandoned animals from kill shelters and provides them with safe haven and veterinary care before placing them in proper forever homes.

** Donation receipts, veterinary bills, and more will be provided for donors. **

In spite of a fate he didn't choose, Basil touched the lives of every single person he met - human and otherwise. Only the physical has changed, and even in his absence, we want his legacy to thrive. Thank you in advance for your support and generosity!

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