The Tail of Rosko the Pug

By Sammy Leighton

August 21, 2025

Rosko the Pug

In early February, I was at my grandparents' house in Boynton Beach when I got a call on my work line. Reluctant to answer on my day off, I stepped out of the room and took the call. Unbeknownst to me, I was about to have a life-changing phone call. The woman on the other line was an older woman named Nancy. She was technologically challenged, much like the grandparents I was spending time with, so I felt for her. Nancy asked if I could assist her in setting up her account on our client portal, Time to Pet. I quickly ran back to my grandparents to ask if I could borrow their computer to help Nancy set up her account.

In the office, I opened up the prehistoric laptop that sits on my grandparents' desk, greeting me with that centuries-old voice saying "you've got mail." I went to Time to Pet, logged in, and started asking Nancy for her information. After getting her information, Nancy explained to me that she would be needing a walk for her 12-year-old pug Rosko every single day for the foreseeable future. At the time, I really didn't know how short that time would be.

It was mid-June, a gloomy day. I went to pick up Rosko. When I walked in, Nancy's caretaker was there, and Nancy was in her bed, which was usual for her. Usually, we had to poke Rosko to wake him up for his walks, trying our very best to get him out of the door without disturbing Nancy, who he was always velcroed next to. This particular day didn't seem any different from the others. I walked in; some nurses were there with oxygen tanks, and Nancy reminded me to grab the $10 tip she left on the counter, next to a piece of paper with our walkers' names, days of the week, and check marks on it, always making sure we got a tip for our help with Rosko. Nancy's generosity and kindness always made the team's day.

As Rosko and I walked out the door, I saw Nancy's caretaker standing over Nancy in the bedroom trying to wake her up. I didn't think anything of it because I knew Nancy to be a sound sleeper based on the number of times we would sneak in to grab Rosko while she got her much-needed rest. Rosko and I had a good walk that day. It was starting to thunder a bit and the rain was starting, so we ran for cover. As we got to the parking garage, I saw an ambulance putting someone on a stretcher in the back. Thinking nothing of it, I brought Rosko inside and up the elevator.

Rosko in the elevator heading home from our walk

When I got back to Nancy's apartment, her caretaker informed me that she had just been transported to the hospital. She had been unresponsive, and the caretaker had decided to call 911. My heart sank. Whenever a client is home each time we get their dog, we grow close with that client, and Nancy had told me a lot about her situation. If she was in an ambulance, the outcome could not be good.

I immediately texted the team, "Bad news. Nancy went to the hospital." Everyone was so worried, especially for Rosko. I said that once she gets home, we should write a get well soon card and all sign it for her. Everyone was on board.

Then I got a text from Robin, "What if she doesn't come back from the hospital?" My naive mind didn't even process that there was a chance that Nancy wasn't coming back. However, just two days later, I got to Nancy's to get Rosko for his walk and was told that she had passed away.

I held in my tears as I listened to her caretaker tell me that Nancy had been recovering from pneumonia when all of a sudden she had a heart attack early that morning and did not make it. My heart hurt and I looked at Rosko and said, "Whatever you need from us with Rosko, just say the word."

The next 10 minutes were a blur. I know I gave them my business card to keep in touch with me, I know I somehow walked out the door, went down the elevator, and got outside, and I knew that my phone was ringing and Robin was picking up on the other end. "She didn't make it," I wailed into the phone, finally allowing my tears to fall down my cheeks and hit the hot sidewalk beneath me. Robin started crying too. We just cried together, and in that moment, we decided we would not let anything happen to Rosko.

Rosko enjoying one of his daily walks

Next thing I knew, it was the next day and I was back at Nancy's apartment, which was now filled with boxes and paperwork and a very confused Rosko sitting on the couch. I spoke with the two ladies sorting everything out. I asked if Nancy had any living family, and they said no. Then I told them what Robin and I had spoken about.

"My team member, Robin... She is a pug owner, and she and Rosko have a really wonderful bond. She has offered to foster him until we can find him a permanent situation in a loving home. Their next question caught me off guard, 'What would that cost us?'"

"No, we will not charge you," I responded sympathetically. "We love Rosko, and we all adored Nancy. We don't want Rosko ending up in a bad situation or in the pound. We want to help."

Rosko and Robin

After a few days, they called to ask if the offer was still on the table, and of course, it was.

The few days before Robin got to take him in were rough. I would go to walk Rosko, and he would be crying when I came into the apartment to walk him. I think it was finally computing in his brain that his mommy wasn't coming home. My heart ached for him.

Rosko being the bravest boy at VEG

Rosko's first few days at Robin's were okay. He was settling in with his new friend, Mowgli, Robin's pug. However, just a few days later, Robin called me in a panic. Rosko had diarrhea all over her apartment, and it kept coming. I rushed over and got him outside while she finished cleaning up. When we brought him back inside, it happened again within seconds. This time, I cleaned while Robin took him outside. She came back to the door just a few minutes later and said, "I think we need to go to the emergency vet." It was a Sunday, Father's Day, in fact, and his vet was not open. We rushed him to VEG in my car with a ton of towels and pee pads beneath him.

I have to say, VEG is a fantastic emergency vet. We explained his situation, and I watched the vet tech's eyes tear up. The care they had for him was on the same level as the standards I have set for my team. They pumped him with fluids as he had more uncontrollable bowel movements on the floor of the vet, and they gave him medication to go home with. He had the biggest smile on the way home, as if to say thank you.

Rosko heading home from the ER Vet

When we got back, we set him up with a bed, pee pads, toys, and water in the bathroom so he could be confined to a smaller space until he was feeling better. He slept most of the rest of the day, and within a few days, he was feeling much better.

I posted on Instagram, telling of his story, how we needed to find him a loving home and fast. That post got shared 139 times. It is because of the wonderful South Florida dog community that we got so much interest in him.

Rosko taking a long nap after a stressful trip to the ER Vet

Robin and I set up a few interviews with potential families and drove to Platation and even Boca to meet people. In Plantation, we met Katie and her 7 year old pug, Jelly.

Rosko and Jelly were immediately smitten with one another. They have similar temperments and just really enjoyed each other's company. Rosko isn't always the biggest fan of younger dogs with a lot of energy since hes a sweet old man.

I think for me, there was a moment that I truly knew this was the right family for Rosko to go home with. It was a moment in the park, where Katie and her fiance picked Rosko up and both started giving him so much love. Kissing his head and giving him pets behind the ears and Rosko just got the biggest smile on his face. That was it for me. Robin and I shared a look in that moment. I think she knew it too.

Katie's family was moving to a new home and would have a yard for the dogs, she was able to keep taking Rosko to the same vet he'd been going to his whole life, and was happy to send us updates and let us see Rosko from time to time. It was a no brainer. They just couldnt take him in until July 16 and this was around mid June.

Robin had plans to travel in July so we found him another foster for the time being who was AMAZING. Another pug owner who was able to give unconditional love to Rosko while he waited to go to his forever home.

Now, Rosko is living his best life with his new parents and his sister Jelly. Every update we get, we know we made the right choice. Rosko looks so happy, he gets more time outside than ever before, and can do more than he was able to do with Nancy due to her health complications.

Rosko and his new sister Jelly

We will never forget Nancy and her increidble generosity, kindness, warmth and unconditional love for Rosko. Nancy, he's safe. We made sure of it. I hope you can rest in peace knowing that Rosko is going to be loved unconditionally until the day he gets to see you again.

In loving Memory of Nancy Garrett.