About Little Laz
Hi there! My name is Cassidy (Cass) Osgood and I am the owner and artist behind Little Laz Artisan Goods. I am so elated to share my passion-project with you, and to share with you how Little Laz came to be.
Lazarus, lovingly referred to as Laz, was my first dog.
Excited to finally be able to adopt a pet after graduating from
military college where pets were not allowed, I searched through local rescue websites day after day trying to find just the right fit. And then, I found Laz.
Described in his adoption profile as "half bobcat", my friends and family were fairly certain I was losing my mind when I told them that the most raggedy looking senior dog, blind in one eye, half-bald, with an underbite and about seven remaining teeth, was the one.
Lazarus had wound up at the rescue after two passersby found him along the side of the road, where he seemingly had been hit by a car. Hairless from mange, half-starved to death, and not breathing, they rushed him to the nearest vet where the mangled dog miraculously began to breathe again. From there the senior rescue took him in and nursed him back to health, naming him "Lazarus" in honor of his undying spirit and will to live.
When I expressed my interest in Laz, the rescue cautioned me that he was nearly old enough to be a hospice, he was mildly incontinent, may be deaf, and seemed to have nerve damage in his legs from being struck by the car, as he never seemed to bend his legs despite being told by several vets that he did not in-fact have arthritis and that he was just "weird".
He was perfect. I brought Laz home on July 3rd 2020 and we spent the rest of his days happily together.
Despite how cruel life had been to Laz, he still loved just being alive and being loved. He loved bath-time, being brushed, and all of the treats. He zoomied in slow motion, would headbutt me until I held him, and on a very rare occasion would let out an excited "bark" so unexpected and alike a child's cry that it would turn every head in the room. Laz loved people, and would go into what we called "party-mode" every time I came home from work or he saw some of his human friends. He loved car rides with mom, where he rode in his car-seat upon the center console as my trusted shotgun rider (he had a bit of trouble staying upright without the carseat). Laz accompanied me as such on a move across the country as my military career took us from California to Colorado. His elated zoomies upon us stepping into our new house let me know that he knew he was home.
The two and a half years that I got to be his human were some of the best of my life.
In 2022, I found myself in a relationship that quickly turned manipulative and abusive, and it seemed like there was no way out. While I was able to make it out of the relationship, my sweet innocent Lazarus died at the hands of my abuser.
National Domestic Violence Hotline:
National Resource Center for Domestic Violence:
Call: 1.800.799.7233
Text: START to 88788
Click here to chat online
Click here for additional resources or how you can contribute to ending domestic violence once and for all.
Not a day has passed since then that the memory of my little miracle-dog hasn't resided in my heart. In my grief I've struggled with how to find justice in the situation, to honor Laz's memory and life, and how to contribute towards the prevention of animal abuse to stop others from enduring similar tragedies. So with my heart bared, I'm excited to share with you Little Laz Artisan Goods, where 10% of all profits are always and will always be donated to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in honor of my sweet boy, Laz.
If you or someone you know is or may be a victim of domestic abuse, there is a way out. At the bottom of this page you can find 24/7 help resources. Please reach out, we are here for you.
Love shouldn't hurt. Animals shouldn't suffer.
