When retired carpenter David Fine was diagnosed with cancer, his top priority became ensuring his beloved dog, Babs, would have a good home in case the worst happened. Despite already having listed four potential new families for the dog, his search is still ongoing.
Around nine months ago, Fine began experiencing chest pains. About four months later, doctors finally diagnosed him with stage 4 lung cancer. Fine, who permanently retired from his job in 2020 after years of dreaming about retirement, had hoped to travel domestically in a camper with his pet dog. However, upon reaching a point around 100 miles south of Yellowstone National Park, he started feeling unwell and had to return home.
“That trip was the best six weeks of my life,” Fine said, recalling his time in the Black Hills Forest in South Dakota. “It was beautiful there, absolutely magnificent. The night sky was amazing. I was the only vehicle on one side of a mountain, with Babs romping around outside.”
Despite the diagnosis and doctors telling him he may only have six months left to live, Fine has not lost his hopeful nature. He still plans to visit Yellowstone National Park in July and August before returning home to “wait and see what happens”.
His biggest concern is that Babs, a 12-year-old Shar Pei-Boxer mix who has been with him since she was a pup, may feel abandoned by him.
“I won’t give her up unless absolutely necessary,” he said. “Some hospice workers have volunteered to care for me at the appropriate time, in my home, so my dog can be with me until the end. That’s what I really want. I want her by my side; I do not want her to think I’ve abandoned her.”
Fine has narrowed down potential new owners for Babs to about four families. However, the final decision requires careful consideration as she is not only special to him but also a “big brother” who grew up on a farm and does not get along with animals, including other dogs.
Despite this, Babs does indeed get along “very well” with people, Fine said.
“How do you pick new parents for your child?” he asked. “Nobody’s going to be perfect, but they should provide a safe and protected good life.”
“She’s a good dog. She’s good with people and behaves well at home. I’m afraid young children might think she’s a pony or something and try to climb on her back or play too rough with her without understanding the difference between playing and attacking,” Fine added.
In 2014, Babs entered Fine’s life after a Newport, Rhode Island, owner and handler had difficulties with her. The vet had suggested euthanizing her, but someone familiar with the handler and renting Fine’s garage asked if they could bring the dog to his home to save her life.
“She eventually showed up at my house, sleeping in the garage,” he said. “The floor was dirt, and she’s a digger. She was always digging her way out. There’s a small fish pond in the backyard, and I’d often go there, and she would come with me.”
One night, it was rainy and cold, and Fine let Babs inside the house.
“She adapted to me,” he said.
The two have been together for 10 years now.
“I can talk to her, and this sounds crazy, but she understands me,” Fine said. “If I ask her a yes or no question, she’ll wink her eye. It’s incredible. She’s smart.”
A local paper ran a small piece about Fine with a “tiny picture of Babs”. Jennie Mann, a dog rescuer from Ohio, saw the photo and, though she didn’t know Fine, shared the ad on social media to help. The story went viral, garnering attention from national media in Australia, the Middle East, India, and Canada.
“This should have been a local thing, but it’s become a global phenomenon. It’s amazing,” Fine said, noting that the response has restored his faith in people. However, he won’t give his dog to anyone he hasn’t met. His current plan is to find the best new home for Babs, if needed.
Regarding his treatment, Fine said opting for a rigorous program is unlikely to give him more time and would make him very ill until his passing. Mann regularly stays in touch with Fine.
“He told me he saw the doctor last week, who said the cancer hadn’t spread, which is good since he’s not currently undergoing any treatment,” Mann said. “He thinks maybe all the prayers he’s received are helping him maintain rather than getting worse. It seems he’s not getting better, but he’s not getting worse.”
For now, Fine is focusing on one thing at a time. His grandniece is getting married on June 15, which is his primary goal as he hopes to attend the wedding.
“Then, I’ll see if we can travel to Yellowstone Park for a month. If I have to go back home, then I’ll go back home,” he said. “I’ll continue to live the way I want. We’ll see how things go.”
However, he acknowledges he doesn’t know how his dog will be affected once he’s gone.
“I tell people, don’t take the collar off until you know each other completely, because she’ll surely run to my backyard. She’ll sit at my door… and I won’t be here,” he said.