Printer-friendly version
By SJ Miller
Photo: East County celebrity Chopper the Biker Dog,by Mark Shaffer
March 6, 2022 (La Mesa) — It's been just over a year since Fox 5 San Diego announced that canine celebrity Chopper the Biker Dog had been diagnosed with liver cancer. Now, I’m checking in on the beloved Boston Terrier and his dog dad, realtor Mak Shaffer.
“He’s terminal,” said Shaffer. “I’m trying to still give him some happiness and comfort.”
Shaffer is monitoring Chopper’s condition closely, taking him for blood tests every two weeks and another CT scan in two weeks. Chopper gets regular acupuncture treatments and recently started drinking a tea called Flor-Essence, an alternative herbal cleanse that could help slow the spread of his cancer, according to Shaffer.
Veterinarians cannot predict how long Chopper has left. “He has good days and not so good days.”
Despite his many health issues, including Cushing’s disease and nonregenerative anemia, Chopper still finds time to help others.
On February 14, Shaffer and Chopper attended an American Red Cross blood drive in Mission Valley, an event that collected 172 units of blood that could help as many as 516 people, according to a letter from Red Cross Area Manager Breanne Battezzato, that was posted on Chopper the Biker Dog’s Instagram account.
Photo: Chopper the Biker Dog with owner Mark Shaffer, by Mark Shaffer
Participating in this type of event is how Chopper became so well-known, according to Shaffer. Chopper has attended events with the Special Olympics, Teddy Bear drive, Shop With A Cop, and blood drives for the San Diego Blood Bank and the Charger Blood Drive.
Chopper was the Grand Marshall for a Lupus Foundation Walk, as well. Shaffer said he posts about these events on Chopper’s social media “to inspire others to get out and do the same thing and to bring awareness.”
Shaffer mentioned that before the invitation to the walk for lupus, he had not heard of the disease, and after posting about Chopper’s participation people contacted him to say they appreciated being made aware of lupus because they had not heard of it either.
The next event on Chopper’s to-do list is a visit to the Chula Vista Police Department’s Communication Center to see the dispatchers. Shaffer had planned to take him a couple of weeks ago, but Chopper wasn’t feeling well, so Schaffer rescheduled. I was fortunate enough to meet Chopper the Biker Dog for the first time in 2017 when I was an emergency services dispatcher with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, and have followed his journey since.
Photo: Chopper the Biker Dog with SJ Miller, by Mark Shaffer
I clearly remember looking up from a radio I was working at the time and seeing this adorable Boston wearing a leather vest and riding a remote control motorcycle around the dispatching floor. It brightened my day immensely. I was able to spend time with the four-legged hero again last month and got some Chopper kisses.
Chopper the Biker Dog is inspiring not only for the work he does helping others and for his unique biker dog persona, but also for living nearly three years with Cushing’s disease and anemia, and one year with liver cancer because he is #ChopperStrong.
In memoriam David Sean Willey, 1961-2021.
SJ Miller
SJ is a novelist, columnist, and creator of the hilarious webcomic Sadie the Sneak. In addition to chronicling Animal Tales in East County, SJ will also share her personal animal “tails” of torbie cat Sadie-Rose and poodle mix Annabelle. Follow their adventures on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and SnapChat.
Recent comments