It is with an incredibly heavy heart that I share that our sweet Velveteen passed away at 2:00 a.m. last night. We are absolutely devastated. We fought so hard for her, and she fought so hard too. Just the day before, she was wagging her tail, playing, and seemed like her old self. But yesterday afternoon, everything changed. She became lethargic, stopped eating treats, and just seemed off so we rushed her to the emergency vet. After blood work and diagnostics, the doctors told us that while her results looked relatively normal, she was clearly suffering. As always, we asked them to do everything they could for her. Around 1:00 a.m., they called Sara to let us know she was continuing to decline and recommended we come be with her. At 2:00 a.m Velveteen passed away peacefully in Sara’s arms. Our hearts are shattered. We truly believed she was going to make it. While I can’t speak publicly about many details because I don’t want to interfere with the investigation, I can share that the Marion County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating this case. Now that Velveteen has passed, we are committed to seeing that justice is pursued. What I can say is this: Velveteen left our care as a healthy, strong dog. When she came back to us, she had been severely neglected, had lost more than half of her body weight, and was in such poor condition that she required three surgeries. Despite the incredible efforts of her veterinary team and everyone who loved her, we simply didn’t get to her soon enough. That is something that will stay with me forever. I only wish we had known sooner. Maybe we could have saved her. Because of everything that has happened; including the ongoing investigation and the significant on line harassment and direct threats that have been made toward me, my sanctuary, and my organization, I no longer feel comfortable being away from my dogs. For that reason, I have made the heartbreaking decision to cancel my National Geographic book tour. I will still be attending the Portland book signing on October 10 since it’s local, but all remaining tour stops and future events are canceled. I sincerely apologize to everyone who was planning to attend, to the National Geographic team, and to the bookstores. I hope you understand that my dogs and my family always come first. To Velveteen’s incredible medical team: thank you for loving her and fighting for her until the very end. To The Asher House team: thank you for pouring your hearts into caring for this beautiful girl. And to this community: thank you for surrounding Velveteen, Sara, and all of us with so much love and support throughout this journey. This is an unimaginable loss for our family. Sara and I are heartbroken, but we will get through this together as a family, and with this incredible community beside us. We love you, Velveteen. We will never stop fighting for you. - @theasherhouse