Farewell to Tyson, the Dog Who Spent a Lifetime Behind Bars

Forgotten in Life, Remembered in Farewell

“Tyson left us today. He did so just as he lived the last nine years: quietly, unnoticed by most, yet deeply loved by a few,” wrote veterinarian Miguel Quiñones in an emotional farewell letter posted on social media. Tyson, a long-time resident of the Sa Coma animal shelter in Ibiza, passed away on Friday without ever having found a home.

He’s the third senior dog to die at the shelter this year, following Monty and Rocco—also lifelong residents of their kennels. “They join a list that’s getting too long,” Quiñones noted, naming others like Zeus, Junior, Drago, Kinder, Shiva, Senda, and more.

“Each One Leaves a Mark on the Soul”

Quiñones, known for his public tributes to the animals under his care, expressed deep frustration over a pattern he sees far too often: dogs spending their entire lives behind bars, only gaining visibility after death.

“These were wonderful animals with unique personalities, special beings no one ever saw beyond the cage bars,” he wrote. “It’s only when they pass, when I write these letters, that they make the news. But they lived their lives forgotten, barely visible, barely mattering.”

A Problem of Responsibility

The veterinarian expressed his helplessness at a system that keeps failing animals like Tyson. “The years go by, and this keeps happening. Shelters stay full, people don’t take responsibility, and solutions never come. We have a very big problem in this country with what they call ‘responsible pet ownership’.”

Tyson, the Indestructible Warrior

Quiñones described Tyson as “one of the most obedient dogs” he had ever known and “an indestructible warrior.” He passed away in the arms of the volunteer who walked him every day for the past few years. “He never found the home he deserved, but he had the ‘home’ we could give him. Sadly, that’s more than many will ever get.”

Though not religious, Quiñones concluded with hope: “I like to think he now runs free, with all those who left before him, forming our pack of angels.”