Author submitted tributes to good dogs

This is Julio. We adopted him 2 years ago at age 10 and he was so abused. No teeth, had no hair and weighed 4lbs. We loved him so much. He passed 02/17/24. I will never heal from this.

Her name was Spooner. A white mixed breed beauty with a purple tongue and black sparkling eyes. She was a shelter dog given up because the kids didn’t want her. That I will never understand, but I was so thankful. She was my first dog at 40 years old and named after a dog in a Jimmy Buffet song. She was my little lady whom I loved with all my heart. I am forever thankful for my opportunity to love that sweet little girl. ❤️

I found Mercedes in the hills of Baja Mexico, lying on deaths doorstep; among her deceased siblings. The only surviving puppy of the litter, only 6 weeks old. Finding her changed the entire trajectory of my life because at that instant, I became an animal rights advocate, rescuer and producer of a documentary about dogs. She lives on in my heart and in each dog I help save.

I wanted to share that my girl Tilly left us for the rainbow bridge this morning. An alpha warrior princess, she was abandoned by her previous owners and survived homeless in the woods for over two years. She adopted us when I bought the house where she once had a home. She was sweet, animated, fearless and loving. My best friend. She traveled with us to tens of states, in a dozen different airplanes for countless hikes, tummy rubs and snacks. There will only be one Matilda. Til we meet again on the other side.

by Errol Ian Ave Acosta

Calvin’s Corner | Written by his Owner, E. A. Acosta

I still remember that morning when I was with you on our kitchen floor
All week, you hung around in that corner
I have never been hit this hard in the heart before
and the days that followed since your last breath
I missed you more and more

I miss you when you were a Pup
I miss you waking me up.
I wish my heartache would Stop

I still can’t forget the sound of your last howl
while I was hugging you in my arms during your final moments
Only seconds before your heart stopped

I miss you every minute since I heard your last breath
I had you near my chest
sniffed the fur on your neck
on the day you left
You were always so healthy & happy
We never thought you would ever get this sick

I will never stop loving you… Mommy too
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Calvin passed away in my arms on our kitchen floor at 1:43 AM on Saturday, October 14, 2023

He was 62.4 pounds and approximately 65 years old in Human Years (11 years). You’ll always be our Puppy, You’ll always be our Baby.
———

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CALVIN

July 29, 2012 | Okinawa, Japan
October 14, 2023 @ 1:43 am | Jacksonville, North Carolina

You were rescued from Typhoon Bolaven in Okuma in Okinawa, Japan, and traveled to many places stateside. You loved everyone, and everyone loved you. You always had puppy eyes.

“You were our favorite hello and our hardest goodbye.”

Found her as a pup dumped off a busy country road. Named her Flax. A Border Aussie girl who spent 17 years “by me”. Miss her always!

Life presents us with opportunities that we often don’t recognize as blessings. But sometimes we do.

My Dear Zoro,
I always wanted to have a dog, but Muma and Papa did not allow me to have one until 5th standard, so you were born exactly at the right time! We got you home when you were just a week old. Papa was initially a bit reluctant to love you, but you still slept cuddling him, on your first night.
My early memories of you are slightly vague because I was only eleven years old at that time, but my elder sister, Pratibha, knows everything about you. Initially, we baby fed you Ceralac in a small bowl, and you visited your first and only veterinarian, Dr. Devender, for vaccinations when you were one month old. You were growing by the day, and then came your teething stage. There was nary a sofa, chair, curtain, or slipper which you did not bite, and sometimes, even a foot! We laughed about you being able to find these despite them being hidden from you.
When you were 3-4 months old, you fell from the first-floor stairs. Muma was instructing our gardener, Dharamveer, and immediately ran downstairs to see you sitting on the ground floor, hale and hearty. My miracle baby, you survived without a scratch because you rolled your body while falling. As you grew, we were astonished to see how large your diet was – you always demanded more! Zoro, you were a darling in the entire colony, and whenever any of us came home, you were always the first one to greet us. By your first birthday, you started to develop intimacy with your girlfriend Shilpi. You began to observe small things in our house, and soon became the cynosure of all eyes. Your wish to become the centre of attraction whenever we were talking, to get into the car wherever we were going out, and your desire to always go to the park whenever you saw any of us wearing our shoes, are memories which I shall forever cherish.
When you were around two years old, you entered the mandir room, and ate the ghee which was kept for the diya. Perhaps you were hungry! Luckily, we got you to the vet immediately, because the doctor told us that if you did not puke, you could get seriously sick. Fortunately, when we returned home, you puked, and all was good.
In 2017, you needed surgery for warts in your legs. We were afraid when we got the tests done, but all went well, and you got even more active thereafter. As I grew older and more involved with studies, I regretted not having given more time to you, but you were so adjusting and loved by everyone that you never made me worry about you.
The first thought of losing you came to my mind when I was in the final year of my graduation, and was planning to go abroad for higher studies. When I went Dublin for Masters, you were around ten years old – the average life for a Labrador. You were hale and hearty when I returned in 2019, and when I went abroad to work in 2020, the same thing worried me again. When I returned in 2021, you were strong and healthy as ever, save for slight arthritis in your hind legs. I made up my mind to never leave you thereafter.
When I started working in Delhi, you became my confidence-builder and stress-buster. Slightly moody and more demanding now, you didn’t like to be yelled at, and asked for your treats in your lovely soft tone. During Pratibha’s wedding last November, you were so cooperative and considerate, amidst all those preparations and celebrations.
On your 15th birthday on May 21, 2023, Muma bathed you in the afternoon, and then you got your special treat. We all were so happy that day! I now get a sense that post your birthday, you started to become weak.
In August, we noticed that your morning diet had decreased, and you had started eating late. I was initially not worried, because your meal timings had changed previously too. Alas, this time, it was something different. On the evening of the 24th, I returned from office early, and saw you lying in the veranda. Muma told me that you had been lying there for around three hours, and had also not had your afternoon meal. When I went close, you seemed fine, and I tried to lift you up so that you would start walking and come inside. I noticed that you were not able to move your hind legs, but you gained momentum, and started walking. We always admired your high spirit during tough times, and thought that it would be fine for you to skip a meal. Muma slept with you in my room, and I went downstairs to sleep with Dadi. Late night, you started barking. I came up so that Muma could sleep in her room, and I could see if you are needing anything. I am sure that you were in pain that night.
Next morning, you did not eat again, and by afternoon, you started vomiting, and got us even more worried. At night, you made some noise, and then I took you up to my room. I took you to Dr. Devender the next morning to have you drip-fed, as you were not eating and drinking. The doctor told me that your condition did not look good, because you were breathing from your stomach. To be on the safe side, he advised us to go for some blood tests. As soon as we got home, you puked again, and now, I was eagerly awaiting the results of your blood test. The call that I made to the doctor that evening, has been my worst phone call till date. He told me that many of your organs were not working, and it was now, only a matter of time.
I called Snigdha and Shiv, and told Muma as well, but she didn’t believe me; only Papa understood the situation. In the evening, I made sure that Dadi saw you – this could be the last time that she saw you. Chachu and Chachi also came upstairs to enquire about you. I took you to Muma-papa’s room as you always liked sleeping there. Around 9pm, Shiv arrived, and petted you, and said that you were just having flu, and would be fine! Much as I wanted to believe him, I knew that you were in lot of pain. Around 11:00 pm, you barked a bit, and then, both of us rested. Zoro, you were the centre of attraction for one sweet last time.
Around 11:55 pm, Zoi, I suddenly woke up, only to see you breathing normally, but for the longest time, you hadn’t barked at night. I also replied to Snigdha’s message that you were sleeping. Immediately after I messaged her, I noticed your hind legs moving. I thought you were dreaming, and then, I noticed that your breathing had started to slow down. I panicked because I was afraid. I saw your front legs moving like you were running in your dreams, and then slowly, you crossed the rainbow bridge (August 27| 12:01 am).
Pratibha was devasted, probably more so, because she was in faraway Canada, and couldn’t join your last journey. Muma, Papa, Snigdha, Shiv and I performed your last rites with all the love that we could give you, baby. After your cremation, I could not smell your presence, and that day, I really missed you!
Missed washing my hands again and again,
Missed your water bowl under the dining table,
Missed your leash next to the stairs,
Missed your soft coat,
Missed your smell and hair in my clothes,
Missed looking beside by my study chair,
Missed using your ears as a bike handle to roam the house.
Zoro, you were the kindest thing that happened to me. Every thought of doing new things was centred around you. You were the reason for my coming home early. You gave so much love to everyone in the family, and were the binding force. Thank you, mere Baccha.

-Param Tandon

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Riley was a rescue I adopted in 2005. He was a Corgi/MinPin mix and had ears the size of radar dishes! Riley enjoyed coming to work with me, and some other great doggos in our visiting group, to visit the Veterans who were patients on my Behavioral Health ward. Riley eventually became my PTSD Service Dog and I considered him an ambassador for service dogs not having to be large and dark. Our group had Dachshunds, Poodles, Great Pyrenees- I think you get the idea. It was not necessarily the size of the dog that qualified it for service training, but the temperament.

One of Riley’s favorite ways to relax was laying in the sun coming through our window. I would turn to look at him and would notice he was not where he started?? He would literally move with the sun and eventually end up by the wall with nowhere else to move! He truly was living the Life of Riley! And I feel so fortunate to have been a part of that life.
We lost him suddenly in 2014, but I continue to keep his memory active when I tell people who have just lost one of their fur-babies that “he sent me a message to let you know ____ got over the Bridge okay and is making new friends”. It always brings a smile on.

After losing Lulu and then Frankie Boy Sammy was our last of the 3 Musketeers. He was Frankie’s pal. He was lost without him. We became very bonded in our sadness. He truly was my shadow. We lost him at 13 from diabetes. I miss him with me every step I take. He was a tough guy but really a big baby. He was a good boy ..