Bandit Hegarty

Bandit and his canine brother Chachi were saved from frightening circumstances and grew into beloved members of their new blended family. They shared a wonderful life together until the fateful day Bandit went for a routine dental in 21-17. One of his family members has taken the time to tell us more about him below.

I first discovered Bandit and his brother Chachi in 2009, when a staff member raced into my office at the hospital, and alerted me to 2 Shih Tzus that were looking for a new home. At the time I already had 2 Shih Tzus at home, who were very old and I knew their time was coming to a close. They were 16 and 17 years old, which is old in dog years but not in Shih Tzu years. The ad for a new home was listed on EBay, which alarmed me a bit, because some sites were notorious for selling small dogs as bait for dog fighting rings. Long story short, within 24 hours we had 4 shih tzus living with us.

We referred to the new dogs as “the kindergartners”, because they were wild like toddlers. They were 3 and 4 years old, not neutered, had not had vaccinations, never been groomed or been on a leash for a walk. They came to us from a chaotic environment, and Bandit in particular, struggled with the move. He was withdrawn, sullen, and literally sat against a wall for the first year we had him, taking it all in, watching from the sidelines. The rest of the time he was at Chachi’s side, timid and unsure. He was never aggressive, just seemed to not understand why he was now living somewhere else, and unsure of what to do with dog beds, good food, long walks and belly rubs.

As time went on he melded into the rhythm of the household and slowly but surely came out of his shell, moving away from the shadows to become animated, silly and opinionated. Bandit and Chachi were living proof of the loyalty dogs show you when you rescue them. Love changes everything.

Bandit was a beautiful dog with gorgeous fur, soulful brown eyes, and a demeanor that had transformed into a solid and secure family member. He was loving and affectionate, loyal and steadfast, funny and always entertaining. He attached himself to me, largely because I was the one who fed him and took the long walks with him. But he was mostly attached to his brother Chachi, the younger of the 2, brothers of the same parents, separated by a year.

When Chachi became ill, Bandit curled up next to him for weeks while he recovered. Their love and loyalty to one another was palpable and a joy to watch. When Bandit succumbed to the injuries that had been inflicted upon him during the worst year of his (and our) life, Chachi was devastated. As a consequence of the grief he endured at losing his life partner, Bandit, Chachi subsequently passed away as well, from a broken heart.

While love changes everything, grief does the same. We will never recover from the loss of Bandit (and as a consequence, Chachi) facilitated by someone we should have been able to trust. Our hearts are forever changed. And broken.