Beloved Kamloops store mascot battling aggressive cancer

KAMLOOPS — If you’ve ever popped into Kamloops’s Castles and Cottages gift shop, you might have been greeted by the store’s four-legged employee Sebastian.

The store manager and owner of the dachshund mascot has revealed the two-year-old pup is battling an aggressive form of cancer which will result in his front leg being amputated.

Eva Frangiadakis says after a day of playing at the dog park with another canine, she noticed Sebastian was having issues putting weight on his front leg.

Frangiadakis says she took him to the vet thinking it wasn't anything too serious. 

“I took him in for X-rays later that afternoon and they said he had cancer,” Frangiadakis says.

She was shocked to find out about the diagnosis considering his young age and his breed.

“I thought he just sprained his leg… it didn’t seem to be bothering him that much," she says.

Sebastian has been with the store since he was a puppy and has become a favourite to both customers and their dogs that visit the downtown shop on Victoria Street.

“He just started coming in with me when he was a puppy and everyone fell in love with him,” she says. “He became the shop dog and I have been bringing him in every day for the last two years now.”

He usually hangs out in his little bed or by the cash register, she says. 

“A lot of customers come in just to see him or bring their dogs,” she says. “He’s loved by a lot of people.”

As a result of the cancer diagnosis, Frangiadakis says she has decided to go forward with the procedure to have Sebastian's front leg amputated to help fight the cancer.

“His shoulder has pretty much deteriorated already and he can barely walk,” she says. “By doing the amputation it relieves him of pain and gives him a fighting chance.”

Frangiadakis says it was a tough decision but has had a lot of support from family, friends and other dog owners who have gone through similar situations. 

“He’s a tough little guy, he’s young and I can see that he still has a lot of life in him,” she says.

Anyone who wishes to help Frangiadakis with veterinary expenses for Sebastian's procedure can donate to her GoFundMe account here.

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