Many years ago we lived in Southern California. I was at my hair dressers and a lady walked in with a box of puppies, I went over and picked up this little white pup; they weren’t even 6 weeks old;she was taking them to the vet. I called my husband to come down to see the puppy. The lady was looking for homes for 5 of the 8 puppies that were born to a stray black lab she had found. My husband and I decided we wanted the little white puppy, and named her Kona. We couldn’t bring Kona home until she was 10 weeks old, so we would go visit her on the weekends. We ended up taking Kona and one of her sisters which we named Bailey. They were great dogs, they grew up with my step kids around, they would play hide and seek with the kids. The girls would act like the dogs were horses and set up jumps for them. Kona and Bailey loved every minute of being with the kids. At around 9 years old Kona was diagnosed with lung cancer, we had the mass removed and she had chemo. Bailey was them diagnosed with cancer around her spine in her neck. We had surgery done on her, however she was never the same. Kona then had another mass in her lung which we had removed. Kona now had a clean bill of health, but her sister Bailey was going down hill as they couldn’t get all the tumor out of her; she was having a hard time getting up, Finally the time came when Bailey let us know she was tired, so we sat on the floor at the Vets office with her head in my lap and had her put to sleep. Before we did this I need to add in that we had adopted two other dogs from PAWS, so we had four dogs at this time. After we put Bailey down, it was like we lost Kona too, she was never the same, she was having trouble standing up, she was so depressed, and started going to the bathroom in the house. We waited six months, but she was getting worse and was so unhappy so we decided it was best for us to let her be with Bailey. I still miss those two girls. We had them cremated, and they moved with us to North Carolina along with the other two dogs, Reba a shepherd mix and Sophie a Rottie mix. They drove cross country with us in our truck. Both Reba and Sophie have had ACL surgery within three months of each other. I worry about them, and can’t stand the thought of having to loose them someday. I love all my dogs, they all have a special place in my heart. I have a saying taped to my computer at work “Dogs are Angels sent by God to watch over us.” I truly believe that, they are the greatest gift, so loyal and loving. My deepest sympathy to the Levine Family, I know how that loss feels. I still think about Kona and Bailey and miss them so much.

— Sharon from Denver, NC

On Feb 4,2011 I had my dog Casey put down. I had him for 14 years & the vet figured he was 2 when he found me. He was wondering around my Mom’s house shortly before she died. I think he was a little “dog angel” sent to me because I was very close to my Mom. Casey was a perfect dog & I have had quite a few over many years. I miss him so very much. Not many people can understand the bond between your pet & youself but Casey was always there for me. I feel guilty because I probably kept him alive to long-just could not bear to let him go.

— Gloria from Fremont, NE

It has now been two and a half weeks since I very suddenly lost the sweetest and dearest kitty God ever placed on this earth – my Murphy. Murphy gave me roses every day of his life in all the unconditional love he always gave me. I am so blessed that I had him 10 years, 8 months and 2 days – even though I grieve that it wasn’t much longer.

As far as the vets can tell, Murphy suffered a heart attack or an aneurism. He passed away at home late on the evening of 6/12/11. Murphy was extra loving to me throughout the evening, but I did not know anything was wrong until I thought I heard noises in the hallway. When I realized it was a kitty getting sick, I rushed out and he was laying on the hallway carpet. I picked him up and he was totally limp and unresponsive. I rushed to the car with him and drove to the closest 24 hour hospital in Alexandria, VA. I knew he was gone but prayed they would tell me I was wrong. So sadly, my dear Murphy was gone.

As a born again Christian I believe in the Bible and HIS promise of eternal life in Heaven, and have also examined Scripture to find it very reassuring that our animals are included in God’s Heaven. This very unexpected, sudden loss of my dearest one ever has left me in a place that I have never before been (and I have dealt with loss of other pets as well as people that I dearly love). I have asked myself why I am so unraveled, and I come to this answer……Murphy’s love for me was completely pure – not to say that my other pets and dear people loved me less – Murphy was my special Angel from Heaven – and I always knew that, from the day I met him. Today is my birthday – and ten years ago today Murphy was just a little over 8 months old and in perfect health. Yet, on my birthday I took him to the vet for a check up – just because, he meant the world to me, and I never wanted him to have anything less than perfect – always.

I have nine other sweet kitties who miss Murphy too. One of them is Reilley, and today is his 10th birthday. I could tell a story about each kitty, how I adopted them and what they mean to me, but that would be a book, so I will close with this:

LOVE your kitties, doggies, kids, parents and grandparents every day of your life! Don’t sweat the small stuff – just make time to love, love, love…….I did, and that is what sustains me now.

— Sunny from Alexandria, VA

She didn’t have much of a chance for life. When I found her on the side of the road her bones jutted out in odd angles and her skin hung like loose drapes. A puppy, but months beyond fat and adorable. She stood vigil in the same spot for three days, I hear, waiting for her owner to come back. But they had left her for dead on a mountain road. Fleas and ticks sucked her nearly dry.

I made Quinton stop. One look at this frail black wisp and my heart melted. Her distant eyes focused on me when I squatted down next to her. Her tail flopped once…twice, and light shone deep in her brown irises. I offered, ever so slowly, my hand for her to sniff. She licked it and her tail dusted the ground like a helicopter’s rotor-blade.

I turned, pleading to Quinton. I couldn’t leave. She would surely die if another hour went by. I knew he would say yes, not that I was really asking. It was more for confirmation of my decision. And so, I wrapped my arms around her, being careful not to apply too much pressure. It felt as if her bones were made of glass. I placed her in the back seat. I expected her to tremble in fear, but no, her tail waved hello and she viced my heart harder.

It was as if God had told this girl what I would look like, smell like, taste like. I was her new human and she knew it. Before we even made it a half-mile down the road, I knew her name was Raven. I asked her if she liked it and she wagged her tail harder.

The kids squealed when we brought her in. We bathed her and fed her. Eventually we taught her how to play fetch and go to the bathroom outside. She was so dang cute when she ran. She’d be going along when all of a sudden her legs would go out from beneath her, reminding me of a newborn calf. It took Raven no time to fit into this crazy house.

She is by far the most loving and loyal dog we’ve ever had. Always ready to fetch a ball or snuggle a side. When we go for grocery day, she waits at the top of the road for our return, hours at a time, praying we won’t leave her like the people did before. Best riding dog ever.

So today, it grieves me more than you will ever know to say I killed her. I didn’t mean to and if I could go back a few short hours, I would make sure she was shut safely inside. But you can’t take it back once it’s done.

I was on my way out to go shopping with the girls. Raven followed us up the hill, wanting to go. But it’s hot and she wouldn’t be safe in the truck for all that time. So, I tried to outpace her on the road. She was closer than I thought and her legs tangled under the tire at 15 mph. I heard a yelp and stopped. Looking in the rear-view mirror I spotted her down and flailing. The girls were screaming and crying and all I could think was I am a murderer.

There wasn’t any blood but I could see she was hurt badly. And she looked at me with those always trusting eyes. I could almost hear an, “I love you” as her tail flapped once…twice…then not at all. We shuffled her into the truck and hurried to the vet. She panted half the way and then a calm came over my Raven. My girls kept saying she must be fine because she wasn’t yelping. But I knew her eyes had told me good-bye.

I carried her limp body in to the vets, careful not to put any undo pressure on her shattered bones. She was alive, but just. Her neck was broken and she was paralyzed. Her hip was shattered and possibly more. She didn’t respond at all to pinch tests. I had to decide if I should let her suffer longer or put her to sleep.

I called Quinton and cried. My girls sobbed. They couldn’t watch the shot that would stop her pain. I killed this beautiful creature that had only given love and joy. I owed her. I stroked her silky fur until her last breath. I am so sorry.

Thank you, God, for the love of a dog.

— Diane from Lequire, OK

I lost 3 of my dear friends all with in one year. My two beautiful 15 year old Persian half brothers Chip and Simba and their devoted friend Afghan Hound Spike age 12. My heart bleeds when I think of their timely aging deaths Chip was diabetic for the last two years, Spike so full of life leaping like a gazelle and so gentle with my aging never tugged on a leash what a guy! had developed problems. they gave me so many wonderful memories and I felt so selfish in perhaps prolonging their life – I spent as much time as I could through their last moments. I miss them I can;t say how deeply. They and my kitty 19 year old Dusty I lost a few years ago – they are akk my heroes. Never is there as much unconditional love shared as from a beloved pet. Thanks for loving your friends as much as I love all of mine over the years. Hugs to you from them in Heaven – I know they are playing there all together in the sunshine!

— Linda from Pembroke Pines, FL

I have been a huge dog lover since the day I can remember. I feel guilty about talking Vantage because, I loved every dog I ever had and they were all great. Almost every dog I had was rescued. I found Vantage when she was just a little pup. I was making what they called a Vantage Turn, and that is hauling a set of Doubles (2 Trailers) from Seattle to an area west of the Columbia River where I would swap my trailers with a set coming in from Spokane, and then return to Seattle. Going up Vantage west to Seattle is on of the longest pulls in the country (11 miles)and coming down the hill, we would take the last ramp before you cross the river, cross over the higway, and stage yourself in this barren area waiting for the rig from Spokane. It was in late November, 1973, just about freezing outside. The wind was blowing strong down the Columbia like a conduit, very common. A cold, raw night. I saw this puppy running around out in this barren loction and got out of the cab and picked her up. The engine was idling in the Cab of the cabover Kenworth. I got back into the cab, put the dog on the nice warm insulated top of the dg house covering the engine and the dog went to sleep immediately. I named her Vantage and for the next 13 years, she was bonded with me as much as any pet could be. I did a lot of road work in those days, (Running), and she would rather run with me than do anything else on the planet. Thirteen years later, at almost the same time of the year, I was keeping her at my Mothers house. My Mother called me and said, “Vantage wants to lay out in the cold rain under the tree and won’t come into the house.” The next morning, I took her to the Vet, he did some X-rays and told me,”there is nothing I cn do for Vantage. She has a big Cancer in her shoulder.” I held Vantage in my arms while he inserted the needle into her leg.” I left about 5 gallons of tears on the floor while he did it. A grown muscled man crying like a 12 year old. I took her home and burried her in the hard pan of my backyard. That day was the springboard to a lot of bad things that happened, the worst week of my life. Vantage was a great companion.

— Mike from San Antonio, TX