Perry’s beloved Mister Brown falls ill and has to be put down

“April is the cruelest month,” a poet once said, and the time bears it out.

Mister Brown, the stray dog whose story captured the hearts of Perry’s animal lovers last summer, was euthanized Monday after his liver ceased to function and he could no longer eat or walk.

Mercy was an easy choice, and Mister Brown crossed the rainbow bridge Monday afternoon “with special people encircling him” and “with lots of pets and soft words,” said Joyce Conklin VanKirk, who took a lively interest in Mister Brown’s welfare. “He went to sleep, not to awaken.”

Mister Brown roamed the streets of Perry for many years, long eluding capture and living by his wits and by the generosity of townsfolk. He was finally taken into custody in August 2021 and underwent a successful surgery to fix a badly broken leg.

Heartworm treatment for the indominable Sheba Inu was protracted over many months, but he appeared to endure and pull through, which makes his sudden decline a painful shock.

“He is buried with his favorite blanket in a place near the entrance of the building,” Joyce said. “We will select a headstone in the near future. So many memories and tears . . .”

Mister Brown’s freedom now is perfect. Our blessing lies in having touched his final months with human kindness, a virtue that is its own reward.