"Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together...." - Author unknown
I invite you to leave a memorial for your pet on our website
Just send a picture and a story to HomeEuthanasia@outlook.com
A TRIBUTE TO MY DEAREST ANGEL
6/12/2014- 5/26/2024
My dear Angel, the days without you are filled with emptiness and sadness. Losing you feels like losing a cherished pet, a faithful friend, and a beloved family member. When I was with you, I felt that life was fair and equal - there was no distinction between rich and poor, and no difference between human and animal. You were a beautiful gift from God, and your love and affection were truly unconditional.
You were my constant companion, accompanying me through every twist and turn of life. Regardless of the challenges we faced, we persevered together through thick and thin. Your presence in my life was a precious gift for which I am endlessly grateful. Though you have departed from this world, your spirit remains with me, bringing a sense of comfort and peace. You will always hold a cherished place in my memories and in my heart.
Farewell, my dear Angel. I find solace in knowing that you are now in a place where pain does not exist, where you can freely nourish yourself without discomfort. I believe that you reside in an eternal paradise within God's embrace, and I trust that you can still hear my whispered words of love. You will forever be a part of my thoughts and prayers. I love you my Angel Belly Jelly Boo Boo!
Mr. Kane rescued us when he was 3yrs old and we were beyond lucky to have him in our lives for another 12 years. From the first day to the last and every day in between, he was the bestest of the boys. Our gentle giant who did not have a mean bone in his body. He was always there with an exuberantly wagging tail accompanied by lots of hugs and kisses. If upset or anxious, one look at his furry face and petting his soft fur, I was always calmer and happier. Cannot express the depth of which we love him, miss him, and hope wherever he is, it is a place where he is pain free, loved and well taken care of. Our hearts are literally broken.
Once' was always an old soul. She was the 11th in her litter, and the least rambunctious of the lot. She wasn't the runt, just very laid back.
She loved her ball, but wasn't obsessed. 10 or 12 good throws were enough. And she could swim for miles in the ocean! She was a great running partner for me, too.
She was the most well behaved dog, even without formal training. She just always wanted to please us.
She is still loved by everyone who ever scratched her ear. She was the best dog!
On Thursday, January 12, 2023, after nearly 15 years together, we had to say goodbye to our sweet boy Hank. We are heartbroken.
We’ve been meaning to post a memorial here about Hank since January, but it’s been hard to pull a coherent sentence together. He was the sweetest, most gentle, most thoroughly good-natured dog I’ve ever met, and we miss him terribly.
He had a supernatural ability to find a stray tennis ball anywhere. Like, literally, anywhere. In a random shrub on the street, or in the home of a person who didn’t have a dog or play tennis. On walks he would routinely dive into some patch of brush, only to emerge with a new tennis ball in his mouth. He would play fetch until he keeled over if you let him, and I think he may have accumulated more nicknames than any dog who ever lived.
Since 2008, Hank has seen me through the end of law school, 7 jobs, a career change or two, and 10 homes in 8 cities in 4 states. He was born in Huron, SD, and I met him in Newton, MA. We’ve lived together in Cambridge, MA; Morris, AL; Charlotte, NC; La Jolla, CA; Los Angeles; Culver City; Pasadena; and Long Beach. We took more road trips than I can remember, to San Diego, Sacramento, Monterey, Big Bear, Santa Barbara, and Palm Desert, among others. We drove home together from Cambridge to Birmingham, and drove across the country together, from Charlotte to San Diego. He was a very well-traveled dog.
In 2013, Hank met Sarah, who would later become my wife. They took to each other instantly, and he soon became more her dog than mine. He’d follow her from room to room around the house, and nap under her desk while she worked. She enriched his life with countless walks, hikes, and trips, and was very generous with the toys and treats (and sometimes table scraps). I’m grateful to her for that.
In the last couple of years Hank began having increasingly frequent health scares, but would continually surprise us by coming through each one just fine. We were hopeful that he had one more big surprise for us, but he continued to surprise us in little ways, up until the end.
Hank’s last big health scare started on Christmas Day, 2022. From then on, we spent almost every minute with him, and did everything we could to make his last days as fun and memorable as possible.
On January 2nd, his 15th birthday, he went to the park and annoyed the birds at the duck pond.
On Wednesday, January 11th, in the afternoon, we went for a short visit to say hello to the staff of his longtime vet, and the staff at the place where he did physical therapy for his arthritis. We spent a while wandering at the park across from our old place in Pasadena.
On Thursday the 12th, he took his final trips to the dog park and to the beach (where he of course found a tennis ball). He perked up when he saw his old friend Sydney (my mother-in-law's dog). He played one last game of fetch in the water. That afternoon, our other dogs Nelson and Rhonda each got a chance to say their goodbyes. He ate some burger, lobster, cod, bacon, turkey and ham. He played with his favorite Lamb Chop toy (and ripped one more squeaker out). We took in one last sunset together, and then, finally, it was time.
Hank went to sleep peacefully in our arms here at home, at 7 p.m. on January 12th, ten days after his 15th birthday. Sarah and I, and our other dogs Nelson and Rhonda, miss him more than I can possibly articulate.
The pictures of Hank that I've included are of the day that I met Hank (April 5, 2008), a couple of our favorite photos of him through the years, and one from his final sunset on January 12, 2023.
We are grateful that he gave us 15 years. But, of course, 15 years doesn’t feel like anywhere near enough.
Rest easy, my sweet boy. We love you forever.
Hank
January 2, 2008 - January 12, 2023
Charley was our heart and soul - our furry child since we had no kids of our own. My husband and I selected him off death row from the Carson shelter on 7-22-2008. He had been on death row past his date to be put down. There was a lady there who told us that she was keeping him alive because he was a “sweet boy”. His name was Jack but we changed it to Charley. He was skin and bones, matted, and the pads on his feet were worn out. No one even looked twice at him but my husband felt a connection by the way he kissed his hand and we took him home. He cleaned up beautifully and ended up being the most amazing dog I’ve ever known. We went back a few weeks later to show the lady who kept him alive at the shelter and after describing her, no one knew who she was by our description and said no one by that description worked there. That’s when we knew he was sent to us by and angel.
Charley lived with us for 14.5 years. We retired early so we could be with him every day and we got two full years of hanging out with him every single day. He loved the beach (not the water) and enjoyed running around and getting silly. Charley had a huge group of friends since we also did dog sitting so we could pay for those beach vacations with our boy. Everyone loved coming to our house and having all these dogs around, most of them younger than him, extended his life since he was always active with his younger counterparts. It was like having personal trainers. Charley ended up being a member of a dog aging study since he lived so long.
Our hearts were broken when we had to make the call to have him put down on 11/17/22. He was at least 15-1/2 or 16 years old and he lived a long, amazing life and yet we still felt it could never be long enough. We miss him so much but we know he is at the Rainbow Bridge where he remains young at heart. Our lives are blessed because of him and he is the best dog that ever came into our lives. We love you, Charley! Thank you for bringing so much joy and happiness into our lives.
Blucee Marie Mueller passed peacefully on October 1st 2022, surrounded by her family loving on her till her last breath and after.
She was the best shadow/best friend any girl could ask for. We had 13 amazing years together and that will never be enough, however I am so blessed that she decided to rescue me. Though life threw us curveballs and her health was sometimes not the best, she was always a trooper, hanging in there and licking away our tears.
She was my talkative pup, always telling me what she thought. Looking at me with her pronounced eyebrows and her beautiful brown eyes. I love you so much my little misfit, you will forever be in our hearts and I promise you, your memories will forever live on.
This will never be goodbye, it will always be until I see you again.
Rest in peace my beautiful brown eyed girl.
Rocky will forever be missed. He is a mini Maltipoo with a snarky personality. Whenever you tell him something he would talk back with an attitude. Even though he’s a tiny little one, he likes to patrol the house as of if he’s a big security dog. We all love him very much and will miss holding him in our arms and having him on our lap during family time.
He would bark during my Zoom meetings to give his 2 cent opinion which made everyone laugh.
Rocky was 14 years old and was a loving member in our family.
He will always be in our hearts.
Ly Family
I'm just going to speak in language that is most comfortable to me. Posey and I met 4 years ago, and became inseparable. I have had many dogs in my life, and realize that 10,000 years of breeding have made them inherently loyal, kind, partial to humans, etc. I believe Posey was special on quite a different level. During the last years, especially the last year before I moved back here from Buffalo, she really began to shine. Circumstances dictated that I remained in Buffalo to wrap up loose ends, sell the house, etc, while Aimee came out last May to get us set up in the house.
This left me effectively by myself for a year, rarely interacting with other people except when necessary. This also ran in tandem with what I can only call the most recent and challenging stage in a 13 year
journey of awakening/insight/clarity on my part. As I was by myself a lot, I found myself really digging through old issues, trauma, and stuck points in my own realization. Many times I felt I was going crazy, or would be in deep despair or almost hysterical with joy or sadness. Posey was there for all of it, and my only source of love and affection. She seemed to change and become hyper-sensitive to my moods, my needs, and never failed to bring the appropriate energy to the situation. I would go to bed, on this huge cali-king mattress, make her a space next to me, and we would just be in each others presence. She had a tremendous personality, was highly intelligent, and at some point I began to notice what I can only describe as a light coming from her, a sentience, and a vast emotional intelligence. Many times she was the difference between feeling as if I had lost my mind and just processing through the issue that were appearing at the time.
In her final days, we spent most every moment together. I slept in the room where she took her last breath. I would look at her, and she had a knowing in her eyes, as if she knew what I was feeling. There was also a deep sense from her that she had completed the job she had come here for, and that it was time to go home. I was deeply distraught about this because in my mind I was like "hey, we made it! Made it back home to California! Now its time to play!"
After she passed and I had had a real deep cry, I felt something I had never felt before after losing a pet, which was an overwhelming and indescribable sense of pure love, pure light. This was undoubtedly from her. For 3 or 4 days after she was gone, I could feel her not only in my heart, but in the area where she passed. (Bear in mind, I don't normally subscribe to such notions)
What was left in her wake was a deep sense of gratitude, love and peace. She literally helped move me into a new stage of realization, and I'm certain it would have taken much longer for me to move into
said stage without her in my life.
Please, write, they said. Just, write, I heard. I have no story, I replied.
And now, here I sit. Hands to keys. The pain of death; an unwelcome muse. Words inked and tears leeching paper; a bloodletting of grief. Pallbearers can carry these paragraphs while I let my words carry the weight that my heart cannot brace.
To my sweetest Bear. To those he loved and to those who loved him back. I invite you to take a walk with me. Once more, around the block.
Just yesterday Dr. Marchi was at my home to send my boy over to the place where the good boys go on... My sister and I had been wanting to get a dog together when Biscuit came into our lives in 2015. She was out on a walk at the park and a young lady was giving puppies away. Biscuit was the last one left and my sister being the big hearted woman she is, took him and surprised me at home with him. When I saw him I screamed of joy (literally) and was so happy that I cried a little. He fit in the palm of my hand and he was perfect. He was always perfect. We named him Biscuit because he was so tiny he reminded us of a little Biscuit.
He came along with us as we moved places, cried, laughed, played and so much more. As with every pet owner, he was that light at the end of our tunnels on tough days. Biscuit was sassy, stubborn, very intelligent, needy and so so loving. I loved celebrating his birthday and watching him stare at his cake as I blew out the candle for him and then he ate it. He loved being smothered with cuddles, play fighting and would sleep with me all day when I would get sick. He also did the best tricks and we just laughed endlessly at his high energy and playfulness. He truly was a part of my soul and my sister's perfect companion when I moved out of our grandmother's home.
Suddenly he developed cancer and lost energy and wasn't himself so we decided to call Dr. Marchi before he deteriorated to a state we did not want to remember him in. In what has to be one of the most difficult decisions of our lives thus far, we welcomed Dr. Marchi into my home to take our little Biscuit to the next life. While I would have selfishly kept you longer Biscuit, while I'd rather be hugging you right now as you slept or rested from being tired of the cancer, I knew it was the right decision and I'm happy it was a peaceful going away. While I'm at a loss of words and wonder how I will heal, I'm comforted knowing you're in a better place.
I hope you heard me tell you I love you countless times as you went. We'll see ya later Biscuit. I promise.
We love you more than you can ever imagine.
Sincerely,
Monica and Ana
This is Daisy.
Look at this angelic face; do not be fooled by her looks. She was a diva among divas. She was a full-blooded Pekingese, and if you know anything about their history and breed, then you would understand why I use the phrase diva among divas. She was arrogant, and she wanted things her way. She behaved more like a cat than a dog. She would allow you to pet her, but when she had enough, she would pull her head away from ones hands, and she would look at one with disdain. If she could talk, she would probably say, "enough, peasant". She had this attitude to the very end. This is why we loved her so much, and she will be missed dearly.
Daisy was a rescue from a puppy mill monster. When Daisy was of no use to this monster, they were planning on disposing of her in the San Bernardino Mountains for coyote and bear food. There must have been someone watching over her that day, because my Aunt managed to rescue her and her mate.
She was three years old when she was rescued and came to live with us. She was 16 years when she passed away. She is now at peace and accompanied by her daughter Dalia, who was also our pet that passed away on 8/6/20.
I went to the animal shelter to bring treats and blankets for the shelter dogs. I saw Betty was an older dog (10-years old) and not the most attractive. I thought she would have difficulty getting adopted so I adopted her on the spot.
I'm 91-years old and Betty was a fabulous companion the past 5 years. I miss her immensely. I wish more people would consider adopting older dogs as they make great companions.
Margaret Don
Gus was a beloved member of our family for the last 14 years. He chose me at a local Petsmart adoption event. I had knelt down to get a better look at another cat and Gus promptly jumped into my lap and refused to move. That was it, we were his for life.
Gus was such a sweetheart; while our other cats would run and hide when we had guests over, Gus would always be right there to greet them and sit with them. He didn't know a stranger.
He was our handsome boy, my best buddy, my little shadow. We will love him always.
Jennifer and MIke Faneuff
Nova
Oct 7 2011 – Feb 3 2022
She found her forever home Jan 24th 2012
She loved walks in the park, watching birds, chasing squirrels, lounging in the sun,
and most of all meeting new people.
In July of 2020 she lost a front leg due to Osteosarcoma. A new member of the tripod club, we thought it was the end of the world, but she adapted and survived. After three months of chemotherapy there was no sign of the cancer and she was happy and active. At her next checkup in Dec of 2020, her doctor discovered some nodules in her lungs and it was back onto Chemo for the rest of her life, she responded well and remained active, the chemo kept the nodules stable, but then in Dec of 2021 we were told that she had developed painful bone lesions in one of her back legs. Being the trooper she was she made the best of things and got around as best she could, but as January turned into February her mobility became worse day by day, she had lost the quality of life that she so enjoyed, the pain of walking became too much and she spent most of her days in bed. She never complained and made the best of it. A trooper until the very end, her spirit was strong and vibrant but her body had different ideas, and while we would have done anything to have more time with her, we knew that it was time to let her go. She needed to be free from the pain.
In the beginning your doctors told us, 3-6 months, a year if we were lucky. You proved them wrong and you blessed us an extra 561 days, filled with your love and companionship. The doctors called you their miracle girl and you were just that, enjoying life and bringing joy and happiness to everyone you met.
But in the end, your body failed and the cancer won.
Your spirit was strong, and we will remember you forever,
Our beautiful baby Nova passed peacefully at home on the evening of Feb 3rd 2022, surrounded by family and spoiled until the end.
Until we meet again at the Rainbow Bridge, she will always be our Miracle Girl
Aug 2002 at PetSmart to get something and the adoption folks were there and there was one TINY Tuxedo kitten. Smudge was fearless. Our dog Harley was just about 1 year old when we adopted Smudge. Smudge would go right up to Harley and the two developed a nice bond. They would play with each other. Maybe that is where Smudge figured out the game of fetch. I had gotten some golf ball like foam balls for the cats. I started seeing them with tiny teeth holes in them from her carrying them around. One night she jumped on my lap with one in her mouth and she let it go. So I threw it. She ran after it and brought it back! So I threw it again to see if it was a fluke. Nope. She ran and got it again…and again. She would get air trying to snag it out of the air if I bounced it off the entertainment center. I have photo of her in the area under the TV as the ball had gotten in there. She got to the point I could ask her “Where’s your ball?” and she would wander around the house 'til she found one and brought it. She also liked to bring one into the bedroom at night for games of fetch much to my husband’s dismay because if I felt her bring a ball and I was awake…I would throw it and she would run across the bed to get it. Some nights I didn’t wake up and later would find her ball in the bed when making the bed.
In July 2003 I happened to be at PetsMart, they were having an adoption event and I saw a kitten named Dallas. I thought she would be happy to have a playmate! I was very wrong. They really never cuddled together and Smudge bullied Dallas his entire life. He did occasionally chase her and get the best of things but mostly she ruled the roost as the alpha. Smudge was very bonded with me. If I were gone for any length of time she got upset and would search the house loudly for me disturbing my husbands sleep. I would have to FaceTime with her once that became an available technology. Both she and Dallas were my morning bathroom buddies while I got ready for work. Smudge would sit on the scale and wait for me to finish showering so she could lick the shower curtain. She did this right up until the end of her life.
Smudge had a very raspy loud voice that we referred to as a “5 pack a day meow”. When she wanted her opinion to be known she used her voice. She would demand treats from her spot on top of the recliner which you had to pass to go into the kitchen from the living room. If she saw someone go into the kitchen, she would make a bee line to the top of the recliner to demand you give her treats or as we said “pay the toll”. I began working from home due to COVID in July 2020 and it was a blessing to get to spend all day every day for nearly 1.5 years with her. She was not alone all day while we were at work. I got to cuddle her and she hung out on my desk. If I had a bowl of cereal, she got a tiny bit of milk and would demand it if I forgot. She watched us eat dinner from her spot on top of the recliner and if we were having chicken…would demand a couple bits. Spoiled? No…just loved beyond measurement. She gave me 19.5 years of love and wonderful memories. One of the best cats ever.
Memorial for Maggie
We brought her home as a 9 week old puppy Dec. of 2010. So cute and well behaved. Her big brother was waiting for her along with our one year old cat. We had to wait the 3 months for the vaccinations to kick in before taking her for a walk through the neighborhood. Once she had that taste, it became her favorite thing to do. Yes, parks and dog beach and the ocean, she loved it all. They say a Labrador calms down after 2 years. Not her. She was full of high energy until the day she passed of cancer. She fought a long hard battle with surgery and radiation. But, you would never know there was anything wrong. If she came in from a walk with my son, she would give me kisses first before getting herself a drink of water. She loved and was a great friend to all those she met. We will remember our beloved Maggie every day.
Rest my love.
My darling Muppy, I still cannot believe you are really gone. I am going miss your enthusiastic greeting every time I come home. I am going to miss your little corkscrew tail that wagged with such happiness. I am going to miss looking into your little brown eyes and your sweet little face. I will miss our afternoon naps together when you snuggled next to me. We adopted you 3 years ago and somehow it seems like you were always there. I don’t know what I am going to do without you. You were the best furry companion and friend I could ask for. I know you had social issues, but you were always a sweetheart with me and all the other humans you loved and trusted. I am so sorry your time got cut so short, but I hope you know how much Jordan and I loved you. You were our precious fur babygirl and we will always love you. #muppet #furbaby #petloss #rainbowbridge #iwillalwaysloveyou #alldogsgotoheaven #muppetbaby
My Sweet-sweet Captain Jack, Jack-In-The-Box, Jack-a-Lope, Jacaranda, Jumping Jack, Sweet Pea, Baby Sweet …. Ah, how I miss you. Your quiet sense of humor. Your stubbornness and intelligence. Your gentleness, patience and sensitivity. You knew I am an idiot and tolerated me, loved me anyway. Every road trip, every move to a new abode, every new fur person who came through our homes, all the hotel rooms, all the random people, you rode the Crazy Train with me with dignity. At least one of us had it.
You helped me learn patience as well as I did my best to help you with your own fears of fireworks, gunfire and being left alone. When you no longer wanted to go car-car I grew pensive, remembering how we used to rumble at your insistence to come-with and how you would jump into the car and I would be late to work because you refused to get out.
Your sweet face, cute feet, beautiful coat – especially after a good grooming – made you a show stopper. How I would giggle at the dog park or in Yosemite as you would mosey up to unsuspecting humans and nudge their hands. They would look down in surprise, then smile and give you the pets and scratches you wanted. Such a flirt.
Therapy dog: You passed the tests to become a therapy dog with flying colors. It was totally your jam. You could rest your head on the beds of those in the convalescent homes we visited. While I was at work, so many times I would find you in the arms of a complete stranger when I came to check on you. Often this random person had recently lost a dog, and you gave them comfort. As well, all the Park Rangers who would come into the library and lay or sit with you on the floor, as often as not because they were stressed out after dealing with stupid humans all day as because they simply loved dogs, and loved you.
Navy duty: Most people think you are named for the “Pirates” movies, but you were named for the boot camp cadence. You spent many hours in the car as I performed my Navy Reserve duty, and I was amused at how often I found a service member halfway in the car window, hugging you. I started to call the phenomena "Camo-butt", as what I frequently saw was the hind-end of a camouflage clad human hanging out of the car window.
I am grateful that I was able to hold you, sitting in one of your favorite spots, on a sunshiny day, and that you were with both fur and humans who loved you. Petty Officer Petey Dog and Wee Mighty Maraca knew they could come to you for comfort, and you gave it. I hope, I pray I gave you a good life and that your passing was as kind and gentle as were you.
Hey, hey Captain Jack
Meet me down by the rail road track
with a rifle in my hand
I’m gonna be a shoot n’ man
I’m gonna shoot the best I can
Sophie, you were my world, my everything. The day I brought you home you looked up at me with those big beautiful eyes and I told you we were going to be the best of friends. We were so much more than that. You gave me more love than I could have ever imagined. Thank you for all of the times you would greet me at the front door when I had been away, for being my work companion, dance partner, and snuggle bug. When working at home, you had to be in the chair with me. Although I told you we had to share, you somehow got 2/3 of the chair and I only got 1/3. I better not get up because if I did my portion shrunk to 1/4. Then a song would come on and I would pick you up, hold you close and we would slow dance around the room. I’ve never seen a kitty play hide and go seek but you would run around the condo, hide behind something and then peek up to see if I could see you. It always made me laugh. I miss your morning kisses and our Sunday “Sophie time” but most of all I miss you at bedtime. You would sit with me while I read and then snuggle up under my arm letting me hear that beautiful purr of yours until we fell asleep. I’ve never seen a kitty as loving as you. Thank you for so many wonderful memories.
You gave me 18 wonderful years of making me smile and comforting me when there were tears. On May 30th, you let me know that I needed to help you cross the Rainbow Bridge and go to heaven. It was the hardest day of my life but I loved you so much I couldn’t let you suffer. I miss you terribly. There is a hole in my heart and in my life. I know I was lucky to have you as long as I did but it wasn’t long enough. To me you will always be the cutie kitty in the whole wide world, the sweetest kitty in the whole wide world and you will always be my girl. You are FOREVER in my heart.
My little angle kitty, I love you dearly. Until we see each other again. Connie
Our son Roscoe gently passed in our home on 5/30/21 at 10:20 am. He was approximately 12 years of age. His last day was spent at Rosie’s Dog Beach, meeting new and old friends, then having brunch at Starling Diner while feasting on applewood smoked bacon and sausage. His head was resting on a cool, fluffy pillow while he sighed his last breath. The last thing he saw was his father’s eyes gazing back into his with strength, tenderness, and devotion. The last thing he felt was gentle scratches behind his ears and on the side of his neck. The last thing he heard was, “Roscoe, you are a good boy. You have been the best dog we could ever have hoped for. We love you. Now it’s time to rest in peace.” Dr Marchi was excellent in assisting us through this difficult process.
Roscoe came into our lives after being found as a stray and spending months at the Long Beach Animal Shelter. Within 1 year of joining The Coble Family Roscoe became a certified Canine Good Citizen and Advanced Canine Good Citizen per the American Kennel Club thanks to the premier training and love he received through the Los Angeles Responsible Pit Bull Owner’s (LARPBO) organization. He was joined by his newly adopted sister, Brooklyn, thanks to an amazing foster family and the Wags and Walks rescue organization. Together we traveled through the Eastern Sierra’s, Sedona, Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Monument Valley, Moab, and many more of California’s finest overloading and wine tasting regions. Roscoe enjoyed the outdoors as much as he enjoyed orthopedic mattresses and soft blankets. He loved food, napping in the sunbeams, daily walks, massages, the ocean, boating, protecting our home, hunting squirrels, playing with squeaky toys and stuffy’s, and giving wet, sloppy kisses. He was intelligent, loyal, muscular and devastatingly handsome. He will be incredibly missed. Heaven gained another furry angel too soon. We love you and miss you already Wubby.
Rescue
Obedient
Socialized
Confident
Outstanding
Excellent
My dear little Molly,
From the first time I saw you and your sister at the pound, I knew you both belonged in our home. You meowed at me the whole way home, and didn’t stop meowing for the ten short years I had you in my life. While your sister constantly begged for food, you constantly asked for attention, and I was more than happy to give it to you. Nothing gave me more joy than ruffling your fur, fluffing your tail, and kneading you on the floor like bread dough. Thank you for every moment you spent with me. Thank you for greeting me every single time I came home. Thank you for throwing yourself on the floor and showing me your beautiful gray belly. Most of all, thank you for being my best friend. You were taken from me so much sooner than I was ready for. It was heartbreaking to watch you suffer. I hope that you are at peace now, perhaps somewhere nearby watching over us. Mitsy, the girls, and I miss you so much. It’s quiet around here without your sweet meows. I hope one day to be able to give you the pets you deserve again. I love you so very much.
Love,
Mama
Our precious beautiful Kitty, you left us too soon and left us with so much heartache. We loved you so much and we know you loved us just as much. You were our first fur baby and taught us how to be a family. Over the last 10 years you brought so much joy and love into our hearts and home. You were the Queen of the house and everyone knew it. You were so funny and sweet. I would be excited to get off work to come cuddle with my kitty. Our hearts and house are empty without you. Thank you for being in our lives and choosing us as your family. We tried so hard for you and you fought the good fight. You were one of the strongest spirits we’ve ever known. Now you can rest peacefully and be free of pain our Kitty. Send us messages when you can and know we will keep your memory alive. Mommy and Daddy LOVE YOU FOREVER! RIP KITTY 🏼♥️
You were an unexpected gift. A Birthday surprise for a very ill and lonely person. The minute that I laid eyes on you I knew that everything was going to get better. Not only for me, but for you! There was a love bomb about to explode! You were my little partner in life. We did EVERYTHING together. Not only did you have one mommy (me), but you had Casey and Peter too! They brought us together. It took them a long time to find you! You were the special one! You also had some additional fur family with Phloyd and Wolfie your feline family. We will all miss you and your cuddles. Please have some kisses ready for us when we come to see you. We all love you so much. Papa
Piper came to me in 2005, she was 3 yrs old. She was left in the care of my brother and his family with intentions to pick her up in 2 weeks, they never came back for her.
Their loss was my gain! My brother asked me if I wanted a dog, if I didn’t take her she would be sent to the pound. Well, you don’t say something like to me. I took her home with me and I just LOVE her! Piper has been the BEST GIRL EVER! She is loved by everyone.
In the beginning she would sleep by my feet on the bed until she couldn’t jump up anymore.
I would walk her everyday and she loved seeing the neighbors who became her friends! She especially loved Donna and Bill, she would stop in front of their house on our walks and bark until they came outside to see her and pet her!
I’m going to miss this pup terribly but I know this is the right thing to do. She has my mom and dad waiting for her, they also loved Piper so much. Robbie and Sunny are waiting to be reunited with her too.
Rest In Peace my beautiful blue eyed girl. You have been the best companion I could ever wish for! You loved me unconditionally, my heart swells with love for you.
See you again someday ~your mama Viv
Khaos, my sweet boy. You have been my best friend and rock for the past 12 years. You have been through so many milestones with me and so many hardships. You kept me happy and sane. Coming home to you was the best thing to look forward to. I will miss your singing and your nibbles. I will miss your beautiful face and the way you smell. You were the best thing to have ever happened to me. Our bed will forever have an empty spot in it, that could never be filled. You were the best cuddle buddy and blanket hogger haha. Thank you for picking me to be your human and for loving me & momma as much as you did. You left a huge mark on our hearts. Our lives will never be the same. We hope that you can find your way back home to us somehow. Momma and I love you mi chulo.
My wife and I had a beloved white Jindo named Okami who was our whole world for 8-1/2 years. When she got sick we were faced with the terrible reality that she would have to be put down. After having some difficulty with a couple of vets and euthanasia services my wife luckily discovered
'Dr. Marchi - Pet Euthanasia At Home'.
The moment my wife made the arrangements with Dr. Marchi's assistant we immediately felt better about our decision and knew we were in good hands.
Dr. Marchi arrived at our home on the scheduled day and greeted us and Okami with a very calm, pleasant demeanor that put all of us at ease. I carried Okami to a designated, favorite spot in our backyard. We tearfully said our goodbyes and Dr. Marchi gave the first of two injections. After the first one Okami was awake but in a very sedated state. The doctor carefully made sure we were ready before giving the second (and final) injection. Although my wife and I were beyond heartbroken there was a calm and angelic quality to the doctor and we felt that everything would ultimately be ok.
We cannot recommend Dr. Marchi any higher and would hope that if and when you need his services you will not hesitate calling him. He made a very difficult situation much better with his kindness, calmness and compassion.
R.I.P. OKAMI
I love animals and grew up loving dogs in general, but honesty I never thought about owning a pit bull due to where I was raised and seeing how certain people treated their pet which made me upset and not want one. Well 13yrs ago I met my fiancé and we decided to adopt a pet. I had pets in the past, was a Minature Schnauzer type a guy, but my fiance wanted a pit bull so I said OK, whatever you want lol.
I had a friend I was working with on music that happen to have like 7 Pitbull pups. We took the runt!
Turned out to be the best pet dog ever. He forever changed my mind about Pit bulls. If you didn't like the breed, he'd make you love him. He was the sweetest dog ever and got along with every species except flies. Lol! He would hunt flies down and send them to fly Heaven. Lol! Thats the only thing I've ever seen him hurt. People would judge him, but after he'd kiss them and demand their love, it would change their thoughts about Pit bulls also. He changed alot of minds with Love! He was the Model PitBull Azul! Will Forever be Loved!
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Goodbye sweet girl.
You rest easy now. We couldn't have asked for a better dog, companion, protector, friend. Nikki you have been a part of this family and been a blessing to us for 15 years. What will we ever do without you? Our hearts are broken and we will miss you so much!!
We love you...until we see you again....
To my little Torie:
You were my second choice. I went to the Orange County animal shelter in 2003 planning to adopt a different tortoise-shell, but when they told me that cat was in the infirmary, I saw you, then 2 years old, and decided to take you home to be with me and my other young kitty, Artie. You made yourself at home pretty quick, including peeing on my roommate's military bomber jacket. I realized Artie was
getting jealous, so I made sure she knew that I considered her my favorite cat. I doted on Artie, including taking her to the vet for yearly wellness visits. But other than undergoing surgery for bladder crystals, you were quite the hardy cat and I hardly ever took you to the vet. I never ignored you, but you saw how much attention I paid Artie. Still, you seemed quite confident, through that "tortitude" of yours, that it was no big deal as long as you were loved and had a home. After all, while you enjoyed being pet, you weren't a lap cat.
Then one day Artie got sick, and within a week she was gone, but not before I spent a LOT of money trying to save her. After it was all over, I came home to you and petted and kissed you, and said: "Torie, it's just the two of us now. Just don't get sick because I ain't spending the same amount of money on you!" You looked at me and said, "Sure thing, Mom." It was 2016, and you were about 15 years old. You were fine, except you took to meowing a bit almost every morning since Artie's passing. Over a year later, I brought home a new cat. Maybe it was the way I introduced you two (I plopped Karl down on the floor and said, "You're home, meet your new friend Torie!"; maybe you had become accustomed to being an only cat. But you hissed at Karl and said to him, "Whoever you are, remember that I rule this joint. Oh, and I'm an old lady, so you can hang but I ain't playing with you!" You and Karl eventually got along, and while Karl is a total attention whore, I made sure to take care of you first, as I knew you were fast approaching your twilight years. I loved watching you jump up on the cat tree or on the couch, because it showed me you were still limber. I enjoyed watching you eat and drink. Whenever I came home you still looked up at me and squeaked, and your tail still did that Torie-trademark "vibrating" instead of waving for a tail greeting. You were a chill cat, and still just fine, for three uneventful years. One evening, I fired up the wall heater, and you stood literally right against it. Hm, I know you like the heater, but it's not *that* cold in here. Another day, you jumped into my lap when I was sitting down, and you stared at me. Wow, you're not *that* affectionate. You smelled kinda weird. You had a small but odd bulge in your cheek. Then you started jumping and wailing in pain when you tried to eat solid foods, including your favorite dried chicken pellets. Toothache?? I took you to the vet. In three visits over the span of six weeks, the vet affirmed my worst fear: You had developed a tumor and your days were now numbered. In those waning days, I dutifully gave you painkillers and spoon-fed you your chicken pellets, mashed up with water. It was hard because I knew it was painful for you, but you were such a trooper. I kept notes in the quality of life assessment sheet that my vet gave me and kept hoping for enough points for you to see another day. Still, I had to come to terms with what the assessment soon indicated. You were so stoic, such a little trooper ... but I needed to release you from your suffering.
I am so glad you were able to pass in the comfort of your home, with the sun beaming down through the window onto the cat tree that you were still able to jump onto that last day. It had been months since you had last seen the guy who was (and still is) special to both me and you, but I brought him over to visit with you that last day. While you were so weak, your tail still vibrated to greet him. I'm glad you
went to sleep knowing how much we both loved you. My little Torz/Tor-Tor, you were quiet, present, and just a little trooper. *My* little trooper. At about 20 years old, you had a long life. I knew you would eventually have to leave this earth, but I am still devastated to lose you and no longer have your presence here. I'm comforted in knowing that you can again eat all the dried chicken pellets you want, and that you're giving Artie "tortitude" at the Rainbow Bridge. Thank you for being a part of my life, my little Torie. We shall meet again.
Love, Mommy
Jack was the most beautiful and loving boy. He was born on an Indiana horse farm and came to live with us in Cedarburg, WI when he was 8 weeks old. Jack quickly moved into his teens and had so much fun at life. From playing in the snow to long walks into town to visit his favorite meat market. Jack has many adventures and traveled with me all the time even if it was just for work. Jack was loved by so many people and he brought such joy to anyone he met. Jack's last adventure was traveling cross county from Minnesota to Long Beach, CA with his 2 cat friends Hershey and Kisses, who never liked him, but during the long travel cross country they finally became friends. Jack enjoyed going to the Huntington Beach dog park whenever he got a chance. Even as Jack was getting older and slowing down, he still made everyone around him so happy. Jack was so loved, he will be missed everyday...…… we can only hope he comes to find us so we can do round 2.
With much love
Christine, Howard and Alec
Buster came into my life in the summer of 2018. I rescued him off the street in my neighborhood.
He was a little black cat with a tough life of neglect and had contracted FIV as a result. When I found out about his disease I was crushed. I had just lost another rescue and the thought of losing Buster to disease so soon after, together with feeling sorrow for Buster was heavy. A few months later it looked like I was going to have to have him euthanized. Minutes before the veterinarian came to inject him, he suddenly gave me a soft pat in the face, and I thought it was his way of saying he felt better. So, they gave him a steroid shot and we went home. I did all kinds of things to prolong his life. He had the best nutrition, and some drug support from our veterinarian. Eventually, Buster stopped eating. He was also in obvious discomfort and the moments of Buster feeling okay diminished. Buster was the most affectionate pet I ever had. He could spend hours on my lap it seemed and was a real sweet boy.
I will never forget Buster and all that he brought to my life and I hope he had a good life with me. If there is a heaven I hope I get there to be with him again.
Thank you.
This day brings an end to a VERY difficult, short period of anguish and pain. My beloved stinky baby, Frankie, has peacefully crossed the rainbow bridge. It was the 2nd most heartbreaking decision I’ve made in my 45 years of life; the first was letting go of my mom. Unfortunately because of cancer, I have lost him too. Life is cruel. If I’m asked how I’m doing, the answer is “I’m fucking sad, pissed off, resigned to what had to happen. I’m not Ok.”
With that being said, my baby didn’t suffer. With the assistance of a compassionate, skilled doctor, Frankie blissfully fell asleep in my lap at home. My son David was present to send his baby Home to the loving embrace of his Grandma, my mother.
Jim, David and I miss Frankie already. It will be so forever. He’s in our hearts and memories. I love you my dear baby. I will patiently wait for the day I’m reunited with you and mom. Put in a good word for me with God. Have a good time getting all the butt scratches and sniffing other dogs you can. I will never be the same without you. A part of my heart and soul left with you. I am always with you. I love you my dear baby.
- your fur mama, Fabi Jefferson.
Our girl Honey came to live with us 10 yrs ago after being rescued from a high kill shelter. Over the years she has been a loving & loyal companion. She faithfully watching over our home, always alerting us to any potential trespassers. Being a poodle, she took this job very seriously! : )
She was most content to be relaxing at home with her family often sleeping belly up without a care in the world. She brought us so much joy and comfort over the years and she will truly be missed. She will live forever in our hearts.
We love you Honey
To the gentlest dog ever:
Milo,
Thank you for being the best dog. You were such a gentle giant. Thank you for being so patient and gentle with the kids when they wanted to take turns walking you, for walking slowly so they could keep up with you and for being with them when they just want to show off your cool tricks.
Thank you for being kind to everyone you've met and for being there for me when I had rough days.
You were such a smart dog. You knew my voice instantly from a distance and it made me happy to see you coming from around the corner or popping up from your favorite hiding spaces to come say hello to me.
You never whined or complained. You were my big brave buddy. Thank you for everything Milo. I love you and I miss you so much.
Raina was a rescue who I got when she was nine months old, and she lived with me for ten and a half years. From the day she came to live with me, she became my little shadow, following me everywhere I went. She always stood behind me, poking me in the calf to remind me that she was there. One of her favorite places to stand was behind me in the kitchen, watching the floor between my feet to see if I dropped anything that she could eat. Raina also liked to snuggle on the couch while I watched tv. Raina didn't give many kisses so when I got one, it was always a nice surprise. Instead, Raina gave nose bumps, where she'd bump your nose with hers. Raina was always a bit quirky, but she was also spunky and silly, and she was the sweetest dog I ever had. She loved everyone she met, and everyone loved her. When I took her to my office, Raina walked around to say hello to everyone, and no one could resist petting her cuz Raina would stand there, look at them, and wag her tail until they pet her. I'll miss cuddling with sweet Raina every night, and I'll miss seeing her smile and wagging tail waiting for me at the top of the stairs every morning. I'm glad she's no longer in pain, but we'll love and miss her forever.
Thank you,
Julie Doi and Maya (Raina's fur sister)
When Jeff and I made the decision to move to San Francisco together back in 2013, we knew we would be moving to a city where we had no friends and our relationship was still relatively fresh. To help us adjust to the new city, Jeff agreed to letting me bring home a little Pomeranian as long as he could pick the coloring. After a very short search we met our precious Meeko when she was only a few days old. For the next six plus years Meeko was like our first child. We took her everywhere we went - all the parks, beaches, doggy get togethers. We would both even secretly sneak her into our big office buildings - that's how chill Meeko was. She traveled with us from Portland to Las Vegas to Texas and road tripped on our laps the entire way from SF to LA. Having grown up with Pomeranians I can tell you Meeko was not your typical Pom. She was not yappy or high strung - she was quite the opposite. Her favorite activity - sleeping and eating. About a year after moving back to Southern California is when Meeko was diagnosed with lymphoma and then diabetes. It was a slow decline from there, but even through chemo, she was still her happy self until almost the end. Jeff and I think maybe Meeko thought her job here on earth was done. She kept us company for the years we were in San Francisco. She was there when we purchased our first home, when we got married, when we brought home our son and when I finally got my dream of moving back to Southern California. We miss her more than words can ever describe and can only hope we see her again some day, some how. We hope this memorial gives a little bit of reflection as to how much Meeko was cherished and how loved she will be forever and ever. Love, the Takimotos
Our sweet big, Vimes, was laid to rest around 2pm today, at home, with his brother Carl and sister Vala right by his side.
He had the most amazing Thanksgiving feast, after a thrilling morning at his favorite place, Rosies Dog Beach, where he would waddle from blanket to blanket, making new friends!
He was the most social dog you could have ever known, and would choose to approach lonely people in parks, as if he knew they needed a friend. Many people have loved him in his lifetime, because he had a heart like no other!
If you knew Vimes, you’d know he was quite a character. But he was also the best snuggler, loved Eskimo kisses, and would follow “his people” to the end of the earth.
He was named after the character Vimes from Terry Prachett’s Discworld novels - the patricians guard dog. Leader of the night watch! He lead up to that name and more. He was famous in his own right!
This is our sweet dog Molly at River’s End in Seal Beach about five years ago. We rescued her on September 11, 2004 when we lived in Salt Lake City and she had just three more days. They called her “Laser” because she was a fast runner. We called her “Molly” because that seems to be the name she told us. She had so much energy! We had a big back yard and she’d run figure eights until she was exhausted. Snow? No problem! She’d push through to wherever she wanted to go. She was wiggly and a little wild and maybe not the brightest bulb in the box, but when she was ready to settle down, she’d snuggle up next to one of us and snooze away. When we came back to California, she adapted to a walking routine that took us all over the neighborhood. Thank you, Dr. Marchi, for helping her pass peacefully into the next realm. She was a good dog, and we miss her terribly. – Steve and Richard
We just said goodbye to my beautiful Enzo. He was a very special boy. Smart, loving, and so loved.
We met him and his litter when they first opened their eyes and he lived with us from 12 weeks old to nearly 10 1/2 years old. Definitely not long enough, but we were so lucky to have Enzo in our lives.
Enzo was a great little brother to Venti and a terrific big brother to Ned. He loved his Nosework classes and showed a real talent for finding birch, anise and clove. He won many ribbons and his Nosework 3 title, along with many other Nosework titles.
No matter how big Enzo got, he was and always will be our “little one”.
Freedom and power, little one!️
My little Superman, that is my dog’s name, he came into our life when he was just 6 months old. In the beginning he was a bit shy and a little scared, we were like strangers to him, but it wasn’t long that he started to feel comfortable and feel at home. Eventually we became his family. He was so spoiled, and he was always the center of attention. He slept with us in our beds, went everywhere we will go, and from early on made it very clear he didn’t want dog food, but human food instead. But that is just who he was, he was this giant personality stuck in a tiny body. He was always very protective of us of his family, especially with any males trying to get too close to my sister and I lol. He was always a fighter from early on and a feisty one, specially with our daily mail man. I love him so much and I miss him. You see, no one prepares you for when the time comes to finally say goodbye. It is something that you don’t find in the books. It is in those last moments that you start reminiscing but not of the things you did for your pup, but of all the things your pup did for you. For almost 15 years he was there for us. During joy and tribulation he was always there ready to welcome us, wagging his tiny furry tail, super excited to see us back home. No matter our flaws or imperfections he was always with that same energy same love, waiting by the door, just waiting for us to come home. I think that is what makes it so hard to say good bye, because you know he will no longer be there waiting for you by the door. I know it will take time before we can process the fact he is no longer going to be here with us, but I am also happy and relieved, because I know that where ever he is now he is in a better place where he is not hurting or in pain. He is just resting peacefully. We will always love you Superman, you will always be our “Leoncito” or “Little Lion”. We will never forget you.
With Love
- Your Family
To our dear sweet Sally,
Saturday, January 30, 2021 was one of the worst days of our lives as
that is when we had to say goodbye. We knew it wouldn't be right to
let you suffer any longer and wanted to do what was best for you.
We are heartbroken by the loss of your presence. Your sweet, gentle
soul was such a light that led us through some difficult times. Thank
you for always being there for us.
We were so blessed to receive your unconditional love and to
experience the joy of being your mommy and daddy for 11 years. We
miss you so much.
Pooh Bear
"Her sweet little begging eyes were her secret weapon!" - Mom
Roxy and Lulu became our "first born girls" 17 years ago right before my husband and I got married. Although they were both so naughty, they were the loves of our lives. Five years later we had our first daughter and 7 years later our second daughter. Roxy and Lulu became the loves of their lives too. Roxy didn't like any other dog except Lulu, and Lulu loved every dog and person she met. They were my best friends and never left my side, no matter who else was home... Roxy gave us 14 years of love, loyalty, and laughter. I will not easily forgive myself for not sending her to heaven from our home, her home.
My guess is that Lulu was tired of living in the shadow of her "attention hogging" sister Roxy, and happily was the center of our (my) attention for a year longer. Lulu got very tired and likely missed her sister Roxy. We hung on to her as long as we could, while being kind, and not selfish. The morning I knew her time on this earth was meant to end and transition to heaven, my husband took over and called Dr. Marchi. We are forever grateful for the kindness, patience, and compassion we experienced from Dr. Marchi who lovingly helped us send our Baby Lulu to heaven. Now our Roxy and Lulu will be waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge.
With much love - The Speiser family
We have always had German Shepherds and each has had their own very special personality.
Richter was no different.
He came to us through German Shepherd Rescue where he was surrendered by a backyard breeder. He was the kindest dog we ever had. I think he wanted nothing more than to feel safe and secure and part of a family. We were able to give him that. He loved nothing more than hiking and being with us. He was a people's dog not a dog's dog so Thanksgiving and Christmas made him happy as friends and family would flood in and he would happily greet them. He could spend forever at the dog beach chasing balls in the waves. I think that's when he felt most alive. He'd make friends with street cats and people would push their kids into his face without hesitation. He just had that soul, that aura that invites connection. I know I will never have another Shepherd like him. We love you Richter.
I got Pumpkin when he was 10 weeks old. He was a 4 pound bundle of white fluff. I took him everywhere with me. He was a frequent traveler to Canada. He was the most loving and loyal little Maltese. I had never had a dog before so he taught me many life lessons that only little dogs can teach. He had so much energy and was loved by his dogwalkers and friends. He was a trouper in his last 3 years as he had quite a few health challenges. He never complained and was always willing to give a tail wag and nuzzle to me. I will miss him but I know that he was a very loved little furry family member.
Dr. Marchi helped Ruby J. (her middle name was Joy) on 2/14. My worst Valentine's Day ever. But, it was her time and I loved her too much to let her suffer. With Dr. Marchi there it was as peaceful and loving as it could have been.
I got Ruby in December 2010. She was almost 2 years old. I had 2 cats at the time so she didn't get to be alpha until they both passed from old age. She was 2 weeks shy of 11 when I let her go. She was the BEST dog. Smart, sweet, loving and she loved to run!! I used to call her my little racehorse. I took her to places she could be off-leash. I would get a ways away from her and then call her. She would race to me as fast as those little legs would go.
I love her very much and miss her immensely.
Bailey April 10, 2004 - January 25, 2020
I can say nothing that hasn't been said hundreds of times before. From the moment she wriggled her way into our lives to her last breath, she was amazing. Vivacious, intuitive, smart, adorable, loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.
We adopted Freddie as a kitten. He was gentle, sweet and loving. He was accepted right away by our other cat Luvy. They became mom and baby. Though he was somewhat shy with people, Freddie was always accepting of other animals. When we got Kallie, they became fast friends. When we got Lucie, he treated her as friend right away.
He always loved his mom and would get on the couch and wrap himself around her shoulder. He would quietly come into a room and settle in as part of the family. He also loved watching videos of birds, squirrels and other animals in nature.
He gave us more than we could ever give to him. His quiet demeanor could calm you after a difficult day. His simple way of making sounds were his way of communicating with us telling us how he felt or what he needed.
The terrible news of his illness was devastating and we thought the cancer would take him within a month. He lived on for a year. He was a fighter, in his own quiet way.
On November 11, 2019, after nearly 13 loving years, we said goodbye to John David Booty. He was named after a fairly average USC quarterback, but he was an extraordinary creature. We found each other when he needed rescuing from a puppy mill, and I needed rescuing from law school stress. He wasn’t perfect, he peed on everything and once ate half a package of Trader Joe’s chocolate, making me call poison control in a panic and induce vomiting. But his love was true and unconditional, and he was a (mostly) tolerant and vigilant protector of our boys. John David was my first baby, and a cornerstone of our family. When he got sick, we knew John would fight to stick around as long as he could, and he did. Even when he started losing weight and steadiness, he would still venture into the kitchen when he smelled chicken, or chase someone who was holding a snack. Eventually that stopped, and he looked so tired, and we knew he was ready to rest. We are so grateful for John, for the life and joy and even the hardship he shared with us. We’ll love you forever, John John. Fight On.
It was a cold windy day on Feb. 23, 2011 when I came across a brown, skinny, stray dog in front of my house. He was very friendly and came up to me with no hesitation. Although I was a little scared of him at first, I reached in my lunch bag and gave him my left over muffin.
That whole night we walked around the neighborhood looking for his owner. He stayed by my side for the whole time while I walked with him. After walking around the neighborhood we were sitting in my front yard, me in my head thinking "What do I do with him?!" and him looking at me with his pretty puppy eyes probably thinking "Give me some more muffin".
It was getting late at night, I decided to take him in the house for the night and bring him to the closest shelter the following morning. I washed him and realized that he was a white dog! After the showering chaos, he jumped up on my couch and started sleeping. He probably hasn't slept comfortably for days. The next morning, I took him to the closest shelter thinking his owner will come looking for him.
Of course, since we "spent the night" together, I was already attached to him. I would go to that shelter to check up on him daily. When I would go see him, he would be so happy to see me and I was excited to see him everyday too.
Couple of weeks went by, no one has picked him up yet. He was available for adoption. Me at that time not having a stable job, living on my own and have never owned a dog on my own before, was hesitating to adopt him, but I had this weird connection with him at first sight. I decided to adopt him.
Of course, being a first time pawrent, there were a lot of first times for me, but I enjoyed his company. We went to the dog park numerous times, numerous trips, numerous toys, numerous bags of dog food (gaining over 10 lbs), numerous heels and textbooks bitten... He was one spoiled dog always wanting food and always wanting to play and always giving me unconditional love.
There are multiple times in my life when I made decisions based on him. I sometimes think where and what will I be doing if I haven't met him that day. After 10 years being with him, my life has went uphill. Stable job, nice house, met nice people and overall stable life than 10 years ago. Us having the weird connection at first sight, I believe he was sent by an unknown power/energy to guide me to where I stand today.
I don't know where you came from, how old you are, what your real name is, but you are the best thing that happened in my life. Thank you Moko for the wonderful 10 years you spent with me. Mom misses you so so so much, but because you came to my life, mom is one very very happy person.
Rest in peace. Love, Mom.
Yesterday was weird. I couldn’t get myself out of bed. I tried to get my legs under me, but they wouldn’t cooperate. But my mom was there and said, “Don’t worry, I gotcha little girl,” she carried me out the back door and down the steps. Something I had done so many times before in my life now seemed impossible. That was so nice of her. I needed to pee so badly, I just had to go right there where she put me down.
We headed back for the door and she looked at me and said, “Want to keep walking, mamas?” I did, but it was surprisingly hard. By the time we reached the back steps, I was tired. I tried to climb the first step, and just couldn’t. I couldn’t figure out what was going on.
Mom reached down and pet me. That felt good. She picked me up, and carried me in the house. I was still confused. But mom petted me, saying, “I gotcha little girl. I gotcha.” I love the way that makes me feel. She makes everything better.
My gramma is here, yay, she doesn’t come too often but she’s one of my favorites. She put a blanket over me, and wow… that felt good. I relaxed, and they both pet me, but they both started to choke back tears.
I never want them to cry, it breaks my heart. It’s my job to make them feel better. I was just a little tired. I drifted in and out of sleep, and they were always there, making sure I was okay, and chatting with each other.
Throughout the day, my person made some phone calls, and spent a lot of time with me. I heard her say, “tomorrow… ok… yes… Thank you Dr. Marchi”
Then as I was drifting off to sleep, I think I heard her cry a little again.
In the evening, my dad came home from work. I always Loved when he pat my head and says “hey Pepper”. I had all my favorite people. They were all so loving. I licked their tears away when they would get close enough to my face. They whispered sweet things in my ear, and told me I was a good girl.
Later in the evening, I felt well enough to stand up and walk to get some water. It was more exhausting than I’d remembered it being. Everyone seemed glad that I was out of bed. I was too, but wow… after the excitement wore off, it was so exhausting to move around.
Then it got even better! We laid on the couch and watched TV all evening. My people were laughing at a movie, this made me happy.
That night me and my mom snuggled, and it felt so good to be that close to her. I thought, “This is where I belong. I will never leave her side.”
It started just a few weeks ago. One day I was fine then after jumping off the bed, like I had done so many times before, my legs wouldn’t work like they used to. We went to see some doctors, and since then I’ve heard a lot of words like, “spinal cord injury,” “IVDD,” and, “may never walk.” All I know is that sometimes I feel okay, and sometimes… you know… I just don’t. My mom gives me pills and they help.
This morning, I heard my mom get up and take a shower. She came back in the room, and smelled so nice. She helped me get up and when we got to the back door the two small stairs I had climbed so many times wow… they looked long and steep. But warmly mom said, “I gotcha little girl,” and carried me down. I did my business, and we came back inside. She made me a scrambled egg with hamburger patty, yum I love eggs!
We had a little outing, went to Starbucks. I got a pup-a-chino, what a nice surprise, I haven’t had one in years! I don’t normally like car rides but today was different, I was in my mom's arms, head out the window and the sun shining on my face....
When we got back home everyone seemed concerned. It seemed a little like a play, where all the actors were sad, but pretending to be happy. Pretty soon after that, another person showed up. He was wearing doctor pants, he reached out and I licked his hand. He had a weird smell, normally I don’t like doctors but there was something kind about him.
Truth be told, I was feeling pretty badly, even though I was sitting up and alert. My body shook with pain, my mouth hurt, and my back legs weren’t working right.
The doctor pants guy said, “I’ll just put this into her back. It’s a sedative. Then you can just love on her till she’s asleep.” My mom kissed my face, and looked in my eyes. She was trying not to cry. Doctor pants guy gave me a shot of something in the back. I just looked at my person. I love her so much.
My mom and gramma petted me, and said the nicest things – what a good dog I am, how much they love me, how thankful they are to have me in their lives. After a while, I started to get real sleepy. I looked back at my person. I love her so much. I drifted again. FOCUS! I can see my person. I love her so much. I will always be right by her side. She knows that. Am I sleepy? FOCUS!
We put our heads together, I licked the salty tears off her face. I felt good. I can’t really describe it. We looked at each other again and then I closed my eyes....
Thank you,
Pepper
LAST WORDS FOR TODDY GROVE
Born: January 23, 2006
Died: November 5, 2019 @ 5:34 PM
Came into our Family: April 13, 2006
Father’s Name: Short Kid Carter
Mother’s Name: Little Sugar Toddy Carter
To Our Beloved Toddy:
You were our beloved little princess and our beloved daughter. We did the best
we could to give you the best life possible. You gave us great happiness, loyalty,
love and companionship in return.
God has called you to be with him despite our wishes. He only calls the best to
be by his side and you were the best.
We grieve tremendously at your passing and our hearts are broken. Nobody can
ever take your place in our hearts … ever.
Farewell little Princess … We Love You and We’ll see you in heaven.
Love,
Mom and Dad
His name was Kane.
He was as sassy and stubborn as huskies can get. Kane was a Siberian Malamute husky. He was fluffy, he loved hot dogs and hated baths. Although he loved being rubbed down with a towel after every bath, but that's probably just because he loved cuddles. He was a brat. When it was time to come in from walks he would lay in the middle of the street, cry and talk back. He definitely gave me a hard time when he didn't get his way but I couldn't stay mad at those blue eyes and goofy smile. He was an old, calm soul even when he was young. Wherever I took him, he always seemed to get attention and love from everyone. He was quirky and funny and I will miss him every day.
Watching my dog as she lays on her bed, listening to Joni Mitchell….”Lady of the Bark Park.” She came to me by accident, when my neighbor lost his house. She came to me with her bumpy body (mast cell tumors) and SWEET disposition. The only Pit Bull afraid of squirrels - they came around every morning for peanuts - Lhasa, my sweet dog would get out of their way, so I could feed them.
She was Hippo color, dark grey with bright yellow/ orange/ brown eyes and beautiful pointed ears. She was smart and eager to please with just the right amount of stubbornness to survive my neighbor and his teenage son. Being single men, they could be neglectful, and I always worried about her well-being. When his son brought home another grey Pit Bull puppy, she had a bully companion when he grew old enough to intimidate her. I “adopted” them and fed them dog snacks over the fence, and made sure they had fresh water everyday, using my hose to fill their bowl. They appreciated my attention, waited patiently for me to appear with food. Eventually as years passed, I was able to take charge of their care and I was relieved.
Do you know that Lhasa is the capital of Tibet? Lhasa AND Tibet were my four-legged neighbors. When their “owners” lost their house, I FINALLY got my wish to keep her. I found a great rescue in Capistrano for Tibet (he recently found his forever family) and brought Lhasa over to my house to make her MY dog!
One year and almost six months is all we had together. But, we made the most of it. She got her first-very own-bed, we got her another for the outside patio. She got monthly baths and flea meds, I made her chicken w/brown rice for her meals and dog snacks, chewies for her teeth and toys to wrestle with. Daily walks, morning and evening. She LOVED her walks, and if we went down alleys I could take her off-leash. And we found park areas where she could explore. She actually pranced and walked so proudly. When people saw her coming, they often reacted with trepidation. I would assure them that she was overly friendly - NOT your typical Pit Bull - children seemed to realize instinctively that she was kind-hearted and always bent down to hug her. I told them she was an “old-grandma dog” and she loved attention from family and friends and anyone kind enough to notice her.
Lhasa was almost 13 years old, and years of benign neglect, next door, had taken a toll on her physically. We watched the tumors and her health - despite her past history - was relatively good. Her last Vet visit didn’t go well and complications from antibiotics (for a UTI) and perhaps getting a blood sample hit one of her tumors. NOT blaming anyone, but her health quickly deteriorated and within a week of the initial visit, she was barely able to walk. But, being Lhasa, she insisted on going outside to pee & poop. I think struggling to get up and maintain her dignity was paramount for her. When she refused to eat from my hand and just laid on her bed looking tired and forlorn, I knew it was time to let her go. My friend, Chelsea suggested Dr. Marchi, and my friend Rebecca, who loved Lhasa too, was here and helped me say goodbye. We held her, whispered to her how much we loved her, Lhasa relaxed was not afraid. Dr. Marchi was gentle and I didn’t even realize when Lhasa passed.
My last image of her was in the back of his car, she lay there so still with her head above the blanket as if she was just asleep and ready for her last car ride. My husband and I said our last goodbye and patted her head. I cry whenever I think of her. I miss her very much, but was grateful for the time we had together.
I have had family dogs and many animals throughout my life, but there was something very special about Lhasa that will stay with me for all my days. I will never forget how she looked at me in the mornings when I drank my coffee, it was like, “c’mon Denise, get dressed so we can walk!” On cold nights when I tucked her into her bed under her blanket and kissed her and whispered how happy I was that she was my dog - she seemed to agree with me as she lay there with her sweet sleepy eyes smiling and snuggling into sleep. It was always wonderful to hear her wake-up and scratch at her dog door in her room. She had to sleep away from me because my cat Izzy NEVER accepted her as part of the family, and the cat slept in our bed in our room. But, Lhasa was so careful not to disturb the status quo and accepted things as they were. She had no desire to buck the wishes of our cat. She accepted everything with grace and dignity. She was the most thoughtful kind hearted dog. And I know, she loved me and understood exactly how I felt about her from the very beginning, even when she lived next door. She knew how I loved her unconditionally and wanted to do whatever it took to help her have the BEST things in Life because she was SO deserving.
I will miss Lhasa forever…..
This is a short story about Hank, my beloved cocker spaniel who I had for 17 glorious years. He was a rescue which I received shortly after the death of my husband. He was a wonderful “little man” as I often called him. He was my constant companion and was so loving. I sadly had to have him euthanized a few weeks ago due to old age. It was not something that I wanted to do but it was time. His personality was awesome, everyone loved him and he fit right into my upbeat, crazy family. I will miss him every day and know that someday I will see him again.
Blazer Trails, aka Handsome
We say, it was love at first meow when we met. We knew, we’d be a family as soon as we saw you. From there, you’d become our hearts and life. In your healthiest, and even in your sickest of days, you were absolute love. Every human who crossed your path knew, pure and true love. Even your dog, Zoey, knew your love and presence. Whether it be the way you shared the best bear hugs, your warm kitten kisses, your play time between a closet and drawers or the way you’d carry on a conversation like no other - you were absolutely one of a kind. We are forever grateful for the love, life, and being that you shared with all of us, for as long as your physical body allowed. It was love at first sight, that will last as long as we are alive.
Thank you for the memories and sharing your life and love with us, Blazer Trails.
For my Marley 4/11/07 - 10/27/18
Where have you gone my faithful friend
your little life taken in the end
by inner beast that lay within
and you unable to defend.
God placed you on earth for me to see
what true love and devotion was meant to be.
An object lesson for we mortal man
to give example of how we should stand.
And now here you lie...
with each heart beat warm life flows,
staining the bed with bits of your soul.
In anger and pain I curse the beast
that sickens my friend and will not cease!
Slowly, yet calmly your life begins to ebb
resting now he lowers his beautiful head.
With still a glint in those big brown eyes
he looks at me as if to say goodbye.
Time grows short.. its time now to rest
Forgive me my friend...I tried my best!
And now I will walk those paths alone
no longer accompanied by the one I’ve known
to journey down life’s path serene
your absence now, sight unseen.
But know compassion swells in my heart
till finally reunited with our Lord’s eternal part.
We’ll walk yet again and throw that ball
when blessed within God’s glorious hall.
So rest in peace Marley...man’s best friend...
I’ve loved our time till this very end.
–Harte Robba San Pedro, CA
To my Spike 1/28/11 - 9/16/19
Open the door, I enter in...
expecting that love that jumps from within.
The bounding body, the banging tail
that furry bundle of love that comes without fail.
Yet silence greets me...where is my boy
whose love and slobbers brings such joy?
But there he lays on soft bed he slumbers
welcoming my caress yet looking encumbered.
Awake! Rise up my big furry friend!
My day comes close, it nearly ends,
that time you so love is getting here
when I grab the leash and gather your gear.
But first an annoyance ...that daily regimen,
my job demands a service ...my full attention.
So stand you by my eager friend and await my call
we'll soon depart to play with ball.
But God had planned that he should not wait
while I dallied with work which made me late.
Your brother Marley, who passed before,
had fought so hard for life and limb.
Yet you stepped out quietly and left with the wind.
There was no whimper, no pain, no fitful sound...
You went silently, with dignity, my courageous hound.
Never again this pain I cry out!
Losing that love is pain one should live without.
Now the walls are hollow, vacant and void with no sound,
the barks and soft nuzzles no where to be found.
Alone I am left with just past thoughts
remembering the love and devotion you brought.
It is said one day all will be made right
and we’ll all stand together in one loving reunite.
And when that day comes, I will look for you
and you for me
together again... both healthy and free.
To walk and play and able to run
under Gods radiance...a gift from his Son.
Harte Robba
San Pedro, CA 9/18/19
I first met Dino when he was seven weeks old and I was seven. I picked him out from his litter, and was so excited when we were able to bring him home the following week. He was the runt, only weighing two and a half pounds when we first brought him home. He was so scared the first week, he would only eat out of our hands and would not go near his bowl. He quickly learned that bowls were not nearly as scary as he had originally thought, however, and ate everything in his bowl and everything he could find outside of it too.
There are so many funny stories I could tell about our Dino, as he was an incredibly charming character. For the first few years of his life, we lived next to two half-wolves, and he would howl and bark and try to play with them. He was desperate to be part of their pack. They, on the other hand, were desperate to have him as their dinner. He would bark anytime someone would dance or clap, and when I ran around with my friends, he would try to herd me closer to the house.
He got me through so many tough times, and would always very patiently wait as I held him and cried into his fur. He was the gentlest and kindest soul, who never did anything mean to any other creature despite the fact he had been bitten three separate times by other dogs (not the half-wolves, they never got to him).
When I went off to college, I didn't know what I was going to do without him. Pictures and videos from my mom helped keep me satiated, but I was always so much happier when I was able to be around him. Helping him across Rainbow Bridge was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but I am so glad that I was able to be there to do it.
Dino my Bambino, you are in our hearts forever and I will still wait for your bark anytime a skateboard passes me by. We love you, we love you, we love you.
I had to put down my beloved ginormous old-man puppy-horse, Max on Saturday, September 7, 2019.
After losing my 16 year-old cat to cancer, I wanted to get a dog, particularly a German Shepherd like I'd had growing up. From time to time, I would see posts on Facebook about dogs needing adoption, but they were never "mine". One day, a friend shared a post from a rescue group about a dog at the Carson high-kill shelter. I watched the video, and I knew THIS was finally THE dog.
I went to visit him at the shelter that same night, along with my kids and 3-year-old granddaughter, and we all fell in love with him. He was the biggest dog there (120 pounds), approximately 10 years old, found by the dog catcher as a stray on the streets of Carson, already with arthritis and spine problems. I told him I would come back in two days (after the adoption hold was up) and take him to a new home.
I returned to the shelter two days later and told the clerk I wanted him. They asked if I wanted to take him out to one of the play areas to see how he interacted with me, but I said, "Nope. Don't need to. I KNOW he's the dog for me."
And he was. The sweetest, most gentle soul ever. I'd specifically WANTED an older dog, because they are often abandoned and unwanted, especially when they develop medical issues. I wanted to give him a "Golden Retirement" in his golden years, and all the love I could. He was already past his breed's average lifespan, so we didn't know if he'd last six months or two years.
He made it to two and a half years. His medical conditions gradually progressed, as was inevitable, and he finally got to a point where he sometimes couldn't even get up from the floor after lying down. It was time. He loved his "mommy", and I loved him with everything.
THE BEST DOG IN THE WORLD
I miss my dog, Rip Curl.
I wasn’t ready for him to leave.
As he grew older and weak, I tried to prepare myself for life without him.
His quality of life declined rapidly in his last few months and he was uncomfortable, in pain.
I knew what had to be done. I made the hardest decision of my life.
I held him, spoke to him softly. Tried to comfort him through his passing.
He fell asleep and then gently passed away.
I wasn’t ready for him to leave.
My heart is broken.
I’ve cried enough tears to flood the planet.
He is no longer in pain.
I want to believe that he has been rewarded for being the greatest dog in the world.
That he is in a better place.
Free from the bondage of the last months of his life.
I miss my dog, Rip Curl.
I wasn’t ready for him to leave.
The time we had together was a blessing.
Now I struggle with mourning the loss and honoring the memories.
My wife said, “With great love comes the potential for great pain, But I’d rather feel the pain of that loss, than to have never experienced the love.”
She is so right.
I miss my dog, Rip Curl.
I wasn’t ready for him to leave.
He was my best friend.
He lives in my soul forever.
I will never be able to count the smiles he provided me.
I am the most fortunate man in the world.
I miss my dog, Rip Curl.
I wasn’t ready for him to leave.
Thank you for everything Rip Curl, my pal.
I miss you. I honor you. I will love you forever.
Forever Rip Curl, Rip Curl Forever!!!
For Treasure the Cat
Of all the heart wrenching situations we encounter in our rescue efforts, and there are many, some of the most are the plight of senior cats in shelters.
Such was the story of Treasure, whose sad face in a networked shelter photo broke our hearts and saved her life that day. She had been brought to the shelter by her owner, who declared her old and sick and left her to die with strangers. Now, we certainly understand the financial burden of caring for a chronically ill animal, the harsh choices of balancing time and money, and euthanasia is often the only realistic option. It tears at our hearts, though, to think that the last face on earth an animal sees, the last voice, the last touch, is not that of her beloved person, but of shelter staff to whom that task falls.
So we saw the photo of this stunning calico, a mix of bewilderment, resignation and maybe even a little hope in her nearly blind eyes. Her medical file was lengthy, with ailments which included hyperthyroidism, chronic kidney failure, arthritis. She was deaf, cachexic and ataxic, barely able to walk with her feet splayed beneath her. She had a mass in her chest, revealed by an x-ray. We figured when we got her that she had maybe a few weeks left, and we would give her the dignity of having a home for that final journey.
We took Treasure to a vet, got her on thyroid medications, administered subcutaneous fluids to keep her hydrated. She ate well and put on some weight. We gave her joint supplements which improved her mobility and she would toddle around the house. She even took a road trip to Palm Springs and explored the backyard, sniffing and enjoying the sunshine. She napped. She purred when she was petted. And, oh, how she loved to be brushed!! What a magnificent cat she must have been in her prime; still strong and willful and confident, even as frail as she was.
The weeks turned into months, and the months into years. In all, Treasure shared the last 21 months of her life with us, spending time in several foster homes. In the end it was not the many maladies we knew about which took her from us, but an aggressive, bone-eating mouth cancer. Our proud lady had been tough long enough and it was time for her to finally rest.
To the brave, resilient warrior who won our hearts, our Treasure, we wish you Godspeed. Even though we weren’t your person, the one with whom you had shared your life, we hope you came to think of us as your family, for we surely thought of you as part of ours.
It was a privilege to care for you.
I rescued Bobo fifteen years ago from Little Angels Pug Rescue. When I attended the barbecue that Little Angels was holding to adopt the many many pugs available, the coordinator had said “ you need to select five pugs, I wrote on my sheet for selection that I wanted 1. Bobo 2. Bobo 3. Bobo and so on.. I knew from the very first introduction that Bobo was my guy, I fell in love with him upon first meeting him. He was not like the other pugs, he had tons and tons of energy and he was kinda crazy, like his mommy ( me ) we just got each other from the very beginning. We are both extroverts and we both tend to see the glass half full rather than half empty. I said to the man in charge at Little Angels, what do I have to do around here to get that dog? He said let me see what I can do. They called me a week later and said, you have been selected to rescue Bobo, I was so happy! I had all of these Italian names picked out for Bobo but when I brought him home I realized very quickly he was an actual, Bobo part clown and part dog. Bobo has been with me through thick and thin, and never once ever complained or made me feel as though I was not doing a good enough job for him. He was by my side through a cancer diagnosis and waited for me patiently by the door to come home from Chemotherapy. He took care of me when I was sick and has been the best friend a girl could ever have asked for. He has seen boyfriends come and go and through it all he has been my constant companion. Having my morning coffee without my buddy by my side will not even come close to being the same.
Yesterday my heart broke into a million little pieces when I finally had do say good-bye to my best friend. I will never ever forget or stop loving my fur baby Bobo, May he rest in peace. I know his soul has traveled on to the next realm and I am super excited to one day have his soul connect with my soul once again.
Mazzy was given to me by a friend at eight weeks old, by a friend whose dog didn't want a companion. She lived her life for me, and hung on just for me. The first few years we were together, we lived in apartment. She showed me her disapproval of apartments by destroying everything I owned while I was at work. When I was able to afford it, we moved into a rental home with a big backyard.
While in that backyard, she contacted valley fever. She fought back and survived. We'd spend our summer nights, walking around the hood with her off leash. Our next home had a pool. Her favorite pool game was to swim counterclockwise circles around me.
She was proud to have peed in four states, and enjoyed car rides as long as they weren't eighteen hours long, like our round trip drive from Phoenix to San Luis Obispo and back in one day.
I love you Mazzy, and I miss you
Callie was too big a presence in our lives to just lend a few paragraphs. We will attempt to give you a glimpse of this remarkable member of our family. She had the sweetest demeanor and even walked with a bounce and a constantly wagging tail. Such a happy girl who greeted everyone she met on her walks. In fact, soon after we got Callie, I retired and because of her I met so many neighbors’ dogs…and their owners.
Surely food was a motivator for this Beagle mix. Case in point, she would run to the front door barking when we had a visitor, then double back to the table where we may have left our meal. It would be gone by the time we’d get back to the table! When guests were over for parties, we would warn them that she looks for the weakest link and may get their plate of food if left unattended!
The Fed Ex lady started giving treats to her. Subsequently, Callie would bark and run from the back yard when she heard ANY diesel truck on our street, hoping to let Fed Ex or UPS know where she was. They were known to stop on the street when they spotted us walking to give her a treat.
At the Vet’s office, they all loved Callie because she was so happy to be there. She would remind them with a bark or two just why she came—for treats. They were always so kind to oblige her. Even if we dropped in without her to pick up something, they would send a bag of treats home “for Callie.”
Callie was so smart. Sometimes I would think she was smarter than me.
She loved solving puzzles. They all centered around figuring out a toy so she could get to the hidden treat. Also, she had a pretty vast vocabulary. We would whisper words she knew in her ear—park, house, outside, toy, good girl, sweet dog, walk, carrot, turtle, the names of her family members (her pack). Her eyes would light up in recognition or she sweetly pressed her ear to our lips and tilted her head up.
If we told her a family member was coming over, she would sit on the back of the couch looking out the window until she spotted them.
True to her Beagle background, she was a talker. If she barked once, or whined, that could mean a number of things in her routine she wanted to communicate:
-
time to eat
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time to go outside to the bathroom, or
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cuddle time,
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pill-taking time,
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time for a walk, or
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she smelled something good and wanted it, or
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time for bed around 8 at night--With You, or
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time to play ball, or
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a back scratch or
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she would sit in front of the pantry waiting for a treat inside
She was such a comfort. She gave Nana and Papa a sense of comfort when we moved in with them after they separately went on hospice. During the same time in 2015, my husband was diagnosed with cancer and Callie would sit on his lap or cuddle next to him on the couch or in bed. She was so gentle and attentive. It’s as if she understood her role.
She loved road trips and her favorite place in the world was in the Eastern Sierras. We would camp there twice a year with her Nana & Papa and other family members. She could wait hours for a lizard to come out from under a boulder. Or we would go on 4 to 8-mile hikes. Her sense of smell guided her. There were only 2 times she didn't want to continue on a trail. We trusted her sense of smell for danger and turned back with her.
Callie was a true blessing in our lives and is sorely missed.
One of the hardest things that has ever been required of us was the day we had to let you go and let the angels carry you across the Rainbow Bridge up to heaven. We miss you so much, not a day goes by that I don’t think about you and how I wish you were still here with us! It’s because of you that I have a love of animals. You're my blue eyed boy, love you so much, please rest until we see each other again!!
Dog Mom Jerri and Dog Dad Andrew and your little brother Cosmo misses you as well!
Blaise.
Tried and the truest blue. When you adopt a dog at age 7, you never know how long you might get. It was beyond my imagination that we had 11 (nearly 12!) wonderful years together. When she came into my life I was a senior in college. Since then, we moved cross country twice together, she provided endless comfort and love as my life fell apart and was my constant companion as I pieced it all back together. Most importantly, she literally stood by my side as I became a wife and she was the very first one I told I was going to be a mother. She lived long enough to meet and know my daughter. I’m shocked at how fast the time has gone, but I’ve cherished every moment of the last 11 years she was by my side, slept at the foot of the bed, and waited for me to come home by the door with a smile. I’m still heartbroken to have said goodbye, but she’s already sent me signs she’s still with me.
All dogs go to Heaven.
Dear Thirteen:
I still remember the parking lot on that cold December night when I first saw you out of the corner of my eye. At first I thought it was only my imagination, but after another look I started calling out to you. I soon saw that you were in trouble and needed my help. You were scared but you still came to me, I put you in my car and started home. Boy oh boy, you sure had a lot to talk about all the way home, in fact you always had a lot to say. By the time I pulled in the driveway, you had crawled on my dashboard and your new daddy was standing there looking at you as I pulled up. He just started shaking his head because he knew you were being added to quite a menagerie of kitties, but really, what’s wrong with just one more. You quickly settled in with your new furry sisters and gave no trouble at all. You never gave any trouble, you were always such a sweet loving little baby girl. It’s been two months since I had to say goodbye to you but, somehow, it feels like years. The house is quiet and lonely without your sweet purrs and I still really miss you so much.
I will always remember you.
I will always love you.
I will always miss you.
Love, Mom
A Dog Named Duke
With sadness I say goodbye to my friend and companion of over 13 years. He came into my life after being rescued by a truck driver who cared for him before a "No Pet" policy required him to move, or remove the dog. He found the young pup at a truck stop in the Inland Empire, eating discarded food from trash bins. When approached, the puppy darted towards a nearby creek. I can imagine this man as he chased the pup to a secluded spot where he found him burrowed in a spot in the creek bed. He kept the pup with him in the truck while he was on the road and took him to a vet where he was neutered and vaccinated. According to the medical records, the dog's name was "Suke" and his estimated age was 1 year. Unable to find a home for the growing dog, the truck driver kept him in his apartment when not on the road, until a posted eviction notice led the rescuer to the only remaining option. Fate intervened as the truck driver, with medical records in hand, took Suke to animal control in Long Beach.
The intervening angel was a prominent Long Beach attorney on his daily routine to the shelter to provide vitamins and treats for his ailing wife's dog, Shadow. Don had obtained a stay of a euthanasia order, after Shadow was labeled a "vicious" dog. He was in the parking lot when he saw Suke on a leash, being taken to the facility. He approached the man to inquire about the dog. The man spoke little English, but Don understood the dilemma of the truck driver, told him that the dog would be killed if delivered to the shelter, took the medical records and possession of the dog, and assured the man that he would find a home for the dog. I received a call from Don requesting my home to be used as a temporary shelter for “a couple of weeks.” I reluctantly agreed, making it clear that I traveled frequently and did not feel I would be able to give the dog proper care and attention. Twenty minutes later Don was at my doorstep with a timid 50lb Rhodesian/Shepherd mix on a leash. I was handed the dog’s papers. Don said the name on papers was Suke but thought the dog should be called Duke.
Although Don passed away 10 years later in 2014, he visited me and Duke three days before his death. He was worried about a lipoma he observed on Duke’s right front leg. At Don’s memorial service, I told the story of how Don convinced me that Duke was a temporary placement.
In 2016 when Duke was 12 years old, I made the decision to have the costly surgery to remove the tumor. I am grateful to Charles Mintzer and the staff at All Pets Medical Center in Phillips Ranch for the extension of time and quality of life given to Duke as a result of their expert care.
Duke wormed his way into the hearts of my children, neighbors and almost any woman who paid attention to him. He remained guarded around adult males, but over time would warm to all visitors to my home. Even the mail carriers grew accustomed to the loud barking which
began 3 houses before they reached my home and inquired about him when they didn’t hear his loud bark. He captured the attention of visitors through his playful nature and acrobatics, liked to show off, allowed small birds to eat his dog food and chased large birds away to allow smaller birds to feed. The last night of his life a small dove found its way through the open slider, keeping watch over him in his final hours. I am so thankful for Dr. Marchi and Amber of Veterinary Emergency Transport and Home Euthanasia of Long Beach for their service and compassion in aiding Duke in his final transition.
Duke is survived by his companion and housemate Wayne, Cheryl his best friend, walking companion, groomer and confidant, the Kistner children Lindsay, Whitney and Coleman, neighbors on Petaluma Ave and countless others who were entertained by him or called upon to assist when he would “dart” through an open gate, door, or unsecured leash and for their understanding about the occasional unobserved/unretrieved droppings as Duke zealously tested the limits of his leash in his unrestrained desire to explore.
“Companion, friend, and confidant,
A friend I won’t forget.
You’ll live forever in my heart.
My sweet, forever pet.”
Requiem for Meat
Peaceful now in breath and pose
warmth of illumination
in a terrestrial form
you are as close to an idea of heaven
I can accept
the pure
overwhelming
unconditional
feeling of love
as your eyes have closed...
So this is my sorrow immeasurable
my sullen attempt at tribute,
a stab at the artful, the poetic
in the raw, unrefined form
the pouring out of soul...
But it does you no justice really
words are unsuitable
to capture lines
equal or unequal
no syllabic verse will suffice
for you have gifted something more
than ink can convey
more than these keystrokes at midnight...
The sense of your ghost beside me
without your breath from the other room
as assurance
I will keep in my heart
photographs of your eyes
acting as mirrors
reflections
catching glimpses of what you were sent to teach me
those simple lessons through these years
in deep sleep dreams
as little prayers
vespers calling me to meditate
keeping my demons and doubt
all the blues in this night
at bay...
Rave on my handsome baby boy
rave on...rave on...
Paillette (pie-yet) had many names. There was Yetti, Palest of Yettis, or simply The Palest. Compost Queen and Paillette Shit Neck were because dogs are disgusting, and proud of it. Paillette Skunk Face was quickly followed by Paillette Double Skunk Face, the very same night. She slept outside that night, and she learned nothing. The distinction between Paillette Tappy Toes and Paillette Thunder Feet solely depended on how late it was.
You were an expert at begging, shedding, staring and panting. You were the kindest creature we have ever known, and were the best help with kittens and other little critters. You were our shadow and constant companion for so many years. You were the best dog ever and we miss you terribly.
Even those thunder feet.
