Honoring Red: Our Community's Healer, Service Dog, and Best Friend

My name is Travis, and I am asking for help for my service dog, Red.

Red is not just my dog.

She is a beloved member of our community, a healer, a comforter, and a friend to everyone she met. From the keiki to the kūpuna, Red shared her love freely. She never cared who you were, where you came from, or what struggles you carried. She simply loved you.

Many people called Red their best friend. While she was my constant companion, she belonged to all of us in a way. She touched countless lives with her kindness, gentleness, and joyful spirit.

Red loved going out and seeing people.

Because I relied on public transportation, Red spent countless hours riding the bus with me. Over the years, she became a familiar face to bus drivers, passengers, store employees, neighbors, and people throughout the community. Wherever we went, people knew Red.

She looked forward to those adventures. Whether we were headed to the store, running errands, or simply traveling around the island, Red made friends everywhere she went. She had a way of making people smile, even when they were having a difficult day.

Today, one of the hardest things is when people see me without her.

They stop and ask, "Where's Red?"

When I explain what is happening, their faces drop. Many become emotional and saddened by the news. The love people have shown for Red has reminded me just how many lives she touched. She wasn't only my best friend. She was everyone's friend.

I rescued Red years ago from a situation where she was going to be killed out of ignorance and misunderstanding. In return, she saved my life.

Over the years, Red became so much more than a dog to me. She became a great extension of myself. We went through life together as a team. Wherever I went, she went. Whatever challenges I faced, she faced them with me.

Many people knew us as a pair. It was rare to see one of us without the other.

Red taught me about unconditional love, compassion, forgiveness, patience, and joy. At a time when I desperately needed joy back in my life, she became that joy.

Before we moved to Hawaii, Red became my emotional support animal. Here in Hawaii, she became my certified service dog. She has stood beside me through some of the hardest chapters of my life, helping me move forward when I wasn't sure I could.

What made Red so special was not only her heart, but her intelligence.

She would pick things up for me when I dropped them. She helped me pick up trash while we walked together. She knew the difference between certain tools and would bring me the exact one I asked for. She learned quickly and always wanted to help.

She was also an incredible protector.

Red watched over our property and the people she loved. She didn't like people sneaking around where they shouldn't be, and she especially disliked arguments and fighting. Whenever there was tension, she would often step in and try to bring peace to the situation.

But despite all of that, her greatest gift was love.

She greeted everyone like they were family. She comforted people who were hurting. She made people smile on their darkest days.

One of the things people remember most about Red was that she would actually say, "I love you."

Not just make noises that sounded similar. People who knew her could clearly understand what she was saying. It amazed people when they heard it, but for those of us who knew her best, it was simply Red being Red.

She had a way of making people feel seen, safe, and loved.

And she smiled.

Anyone who knew Red knew her smile. Whether she was greeting a friend, helping me around the property, riding on the bus, visiting a store, or meeting someone new, she always seemed to carry joy with her.

For the last two months, I haven't seen that smile.

That may be one of the hardest parts of all.

Recently, after being attacked by another dog, Red's health began declining rapidly. Despite doing everything I can for her, she is no longer recovering.

Today, she can barely walk. The muscles in her back legs have withered away, and she needs help changing positions while lying down. I stay close to her because she depends on me for comfort and care throughout the day.

The hardest part is watching a dog who loved being around people become trapped inside a body that can no longer do what her spirit wants to do.

Red loved going out into the community. She loved visiting people, comforting them, making them smile, and reminding them they were loved. Now she can no longer do those things.

It feels like she is in a prison.

As heartbreaking as it is, I believe the most loving thing I can do is help set her free from her suffering.

My wish is to give Red a peaceful and dignified passing in a place where she feels safe, surrounded by love and familiar comforts. I want her final moments to be peaceful, not stressful or frightening.

I would also like to have Red privately cremated so that her ashes remain hers alone. After everything she has given to me and so many others, I want to keep her close to my heart through a memorial pendant.

For those who were especially close to Red and choose to donate, I hope to create a few memorial keepsakes so that some of the people whose lives she touched can carry a small piece of her memory with them as well.

The total cost for end-of-life care, euthanasia, private cremation, memorial jewelry, and related expenses is approximately $1,500.

I work as an in-home aide for a veteran, and while I am doing everything I can for Red, I simply do not earn enough to cover these expenses in the time we have left.

If you knew Red, then you know this isn't just about helping a dog.

It's about honoring a soul who spent her life helping heal others.

It's about giving a beloved member of our community the peaceful farewell she deserves.

If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing this fundraiser and keeping Red in your thoughts and prayers.

Red spent her life loving others without asking for anything in return. She gave comfort to strangers, friendship to those who felt alone, and joy to everyone she met.

She saved my life, and she helped heal countless others along the way.

Now I am asking for help giving my best friend—and everyone's best friend—the peaceful goodbye she deserves.

With love and gratitude,

Travis & Red

Here are the costs :

Hilo area travel fee $72.00

At home euthanasia canine 60-90 lbs. $471.87

Hazardous waste fee $4.66

Private cremation 51-75 lbs. $462.00

Body transfer after euthanasia at home. $112.35

I'm still looking for the right pendants.

I would love to be able to gift a few pendants for those who were very close to Red.