MICHIGAN, USA — It's a sad day in West Michigan. Stinger's journey has finally come to an end.
A young pitbull captured hearts across the area and beyond back in 2016 after photos of his face covered in bee stings circulated on social media.
"He encountered ground bees—a thousand of them," Carri Shipala, founder of West Michigan's Luvnpupz rescue, said at the time. "He's stung everywhere."
The dog was taken to the vet by his owners after being bit. That's where they left him.
Then began a long journey to get the pup back into good health. He suffered an allergic reaction to both the bee stings and the antibiotics used to treat him.
Luvnpupz lovingly named him "Stinger" and took him in. The community stepped up to help pay his expensive vet bills.
According to the rescue, Stinger lived a spoiled life in medical foster homes, then a more permanent foster home for 6.5 years. He was never adopted due to his expensive cost of care, shelter staff says.
He crossed the rainbow bridge Tuesday, they said in a Facebook post. He would've been 9 in November.
"We will honor him furever and see him again someday," they wrote.
