Chandler had responded to an email from his local shelter asking the community to foster a dog named Ben.
A temporary home
When Ben arrived at his home, Chandler learned that the poor dog only had three weeks left to live.
Ben had a mass on his spleen which, according to vets, would continue to grow without surgery.
Unfortunately, the dog wasn't considered healthy enough to risk an operation.
Chandler decided to provide Ben with the best possible environment so he could pass away with dignity. This decision was partly motivated by the recent loss of his own beloved Labrador, Killa.
Before coming to Chandler's, Ben had been living at the vet's for two months.
The Labrador's medical file was 58 pages long, detailing blood transfusions as well as bouts of hypothermia and heatstroke.
A new lease of life
Ben wasn't too keen on the car ride and barked for a while before eventually falling asleep on the back seat.
From the moment Ben arrived at Chandler's house, he was a changed dog. It was as if he knew he was home, and he could barely contain his joy at being away from the shelter.
Very quickly, Ben started to put on weight. After a check-up with his vet, it was determined that he was now eligible for the surgery needed to remove the mass on his spleen!
Chandler was due to start at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that autumn.
He had signed a lease for a flat where dogs weren't allowed before he took Ben in. Since he'd been told the dog wouldn't live for more than three weeks, this shouldn't have been a problem.
Fortunately, during their time together, Chandler's father had grown very fond of Ben.
He decided to adopt the lovely dog for life! Chandler was reunited with Ben when he returned from MIT a year later.
Since then, the pair have been inseparable. Chandler describes Ben as the most intelligent and affectionate dog he has ever met!
