Earl the “bucket list dog” defies odds and celebrates 1st birthday

Turning one doesn’t seem like a major milestone to many, but when all odds are against you, it’s a different story.

We first told you about Earl the dog last year. He was a puppy so badly abused, his life expectancy was cut incredibly short.

But he has now well surpassed that, and this weekend the Felton community came together to help celebrate Earl’s first birthday.

“Happy Birthday” is a song Earl was never supposed to hear.

He was given just 4 to 6 months to live, and this weekend, he celebrated his first birthday…along with other dogs in the community.

“I never thought that we’d be celebrating a first birthday,” said Earl’s owner Crystal Cook. “When we got him, I fully was preparing. ‘Okay this little pup’s going to die, we’re going to give him the best opportunity in life that we can.’ And now it’s turned into…I don’t even think about the end of his life.”

Earl was surrendered to a San Jose shelter where it was discovered he was a victim of blunt force. And the struggles have been ongoing as there is still a hole in the roof of his mouth, making it hard to eat and drink.

Earl’s “Mom” Crystal and “brother” Max started a list of bucket list items to check off to allow a great life for Earl, no matter how short.

And crossing items off continues, one year later.

“He’s a little bit too large to sneak into Costco, but he got to go with us in February. We went on an RV camping trip and went riding quads in the desert and Earl went with us,” says Cook.

Earl has had seven hospitalizations in the last year because of aspiration pneumonia.

And the Cooks have made plenty of lifestyle changes to make sure Earl stays as healthy as possible. Next month, they will travel to UC Davis to see a specialist for hopefully some chance at fixing his cleft palate.

“I really, really think that him being happy and loved and feeling loved…he fights. He fights for that. And so I think that gets him through his bad times.”