Growing up my family and I had the most amazing Black Lab – Champ! We fondly called him “Champion the Wonder Dog.” He truly was amazing. From the day we brought him at 6 weeks old until the day he died of cancer at 10years old he was happy and loving. We all loved him! The story I want to tell is this: We had a pool in our backyard that was surrounded by a large deck. Champ would fetch his golf ball and bring it to the pool where we were all playing. He would lay down with his paws just barely dangling above the water. He would then drop his golf ball into the pool. Well the ball, subsequently sank to the bottom, where Champ would dive down to retrieve it. His paws would flip and flop above the water as he fished around for his trusty golf ball. Once he got it, he would swim to the ladder, climb out, shake and begin again. This would continue for hours! The entertainment factor was immeasurable. He even helped to bring my sister to the ladder when she seemed to him to be drowning (she wasn’t).

This dog had so many great stories and wonderful memories. Not a day goes by that we don’t think about him or chat about him in some way. He will be missed forever.

Michelle from New Jersey

Penny the chihuahua lived in my home for 6 short months. I was her 4th and final foster home. I had applied to foster her the early spring of 1999 when I noticed her poster: “Won’t somebody give penny a home?” I met a wonderful woman, Pat who ran a foster organization. She informed me that Penny had been adopted but that she(Pat) had a bad feeling about the people. Something was amiss. In September 1999 Pat called me distraught. Penny had been abused in her home…one of the women was mentally ill. Could I help? Indeed I did, but when I met Penny I knew she did not have much time left and I vowed to make it good for her. The people had broken Pennys little ankles so she had to walk on her wrists a very painful thing. She had heart failure and she was a fear biter. In a month she trusted me enough to sit in my lap as I read or worked on the computer. Doctors visits were excruciating for her but necessary. She always put a hole or two in my fingers from her pain and fear. I put her into a babies play pen with an eggshell mattress on top to keep her pain tolerable. She gained weight because her appetite improved. She even wagged her little tail when I came back home after errands. She had a good Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, even Valentines day! On the 20th of February she had a massive heart attack. I called her vet and started the car to warm it up and remove snow. I worked as fast as I could but she gave a small sigh and departed this life. God bless you little Penny. I am glad you are an angel now out of pain and fear.

Lecia from Washington DC

I have never had a dog as an adult. I had one when I was growing up and she was my great companion and protector. I had cats up until a couple of years ago when I had to have my 16-year old boy to sleep. That broke my heart.

I just recently adopted two rescued American Eskimos, Landon and Brandon. I have never known such joy in pet ownership. And I can’t imagine my life without them. Pet’s are definitely a gift from a loving God!

John from Florida

I had the dog of my dreams…a golden retriever. She was the best dog in the world! She was a rescue from the SPCA and had a big fear of thunder and lightning storms. She once chewed through our mattress during a storm when we were away. We got her when she was about 3 years old and she had recently had a litter of pups. She also had heartworms. We treated her for the heartworms and worked her through her fears, and she became the stabilizing factor in my life. She was the kindest, most gentle, forgiving, and patient being I’ve ever known. We lost her three years ago to lymphatic cancer. She was sick, but never complained. One morning after a very hard night, she came downstairs to go outside and collapsed on the front porch where she died. I still get tears in my eyes when I think about it. Dogs are the most perfect form of love that we’ll ever know on this earth. I applaud all of those who visit their local shelters and adopt an animal who desparately needs a home. I hope to see my girl again someday in heaven.

Cathy from Texas

More than 2 years ago, my Grandmother Frannie passed away. She loved & supported her family for nearly 90 years, despite being widowed in her 40’s. Although Grandma is in heaven with Grampa, my 2 year old, Reagan still had difficulty under-standing. She wondered why she could no longer talk or see Grandma. She was still struggling with the concept of dying early this year, when the unwelcome time came for Dad and Reagan’s Buba, Blake to make the long, difficult trip to the Vet with April, our 8 year old chihuahua.

April was a calm and gentle dog. My experience as a boy with chihuahua’s had not been good, but the entire family grew to love little 3lbs. April. My wife, Annette, was first opposed to April, but they soon became the best of buddies. April followed her everywhere. Even our shelter dog, Buddy (a 1 year old Australian Shep., 35lbs.), deferred to April. She always ate before him and you would have thought April was 300lbs. the way she directed his movements.

Reagan, now 4, is an avid dancer and she loves her dance attire. We had to explain to her, when Blake and I returned from the Vet, that April was in Heaven now. Reagan inquired, “is she with Grandma Frannie now?” We all said “yes!” that is right, April and Grandma Frannie are both in Heaven now. Reagan seemed to accept this for the most part but she still wondered if Heaven was a place that Grandma and April would like. Reagan went to bed that night a bit perplexed, but she took April’s death much better than we expected.

The next morning, Reagan greeted me early. She excitedly exclaimed: “Dad, I understand everything now and it is ok” When I asked what she meant, Reagan said that she worried at first that April and Grandma Frannie would not be happy in heaven, but she knows better now. I asked her, how she knew this. She replied: “I went to sleep last night and I saw Grandma Frannie and April, in heaven and they were very happy!” I asked her how she knew they were so happy. “That is easy Dad, Grandma Frannie and April were both in heaven, dancing in tutus!”

I do not know if I attribute much significance to Dreams, but I believe this one.

Bill from Kansas

After 14 years of loving my 110-lb Rhodesian Ridgeback, Kenu, I was faced with the difficult decision of whether or not to put him down. I could not comprehend life without him, but I did not want him to suffer. I documented the logic of my emotional struggle in a poem. Several days later, he rebounded. A week later on November 6, 2006, my 42-year-old husband died suddenly from a heart attack. I am forever grateful that Kenu rallied to help me through the next few months, but in February I was faced with accepting that it was time for me to let him go. Below are three poems I wrote about Kenu crossing the “bridge.”
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