AKRON, OH — Gerald Fitch, 51, of Akron, Ohio confirmed Tuesday that he has been paying $22 per month in pet insurance premiums for a golden retriever named Chester since October 2017, approximately nine months before Chester passed away peacefully in July 2018 at the age of eleven.

The discovery came during a routine bank statement review Fitch describes as “the first one I’ve done since the Obama administration.” The billing line, listed as “PAWSURE PROTECT MONTHLY,” had been clearing his checking account for 101 consecutive months, totaling $2,222 in premiums paid on behalf of a dog whose remains are interred beneath a rhododendron in the Fitch backyard.

“I remember being devastated when Chester died,” Fitch told reporters. “What I did not do at that time, or at any subsequent time, was cancel the insurance.”

“In fairness, Chester was a very healthy dog. He never once filed a claim. That’s probably why I didn’t notice.”

A customer service representative for PawSure Protect, Daniela Cruz, 29, confirmed the account had remained in “active and current status” for the full duration, adding that the company sends annual renewal notices every October that Fitch described as “something I assumed was junk mail, which, to be fair, it mostly was.”

Fitch says he has submitted a cancellation request and is exploring whether PawSure will issue a refund, which PawSure’s terms and conditions address in a section Fitch has not read.

At press time, Fitch had discovered a second line item — “PAWSURE PROTECT MONTHLY” — for a cat named Biscuit he does not remember owning.