Dear Tug,

I miss you so much. I miss the way that you always greeted me at the door with a tailwag and an "Arrrlooow". I'm so very sorry for making you go for walks when you didn't want to--I didn't know that you had a cancerous tumour in your pelvis that made it painful to walk. I'm sorry that nothing we tried worked to keep you painfree and comfortable. I try and remember the 9 great years that we had together, and not the last 3 months of your life that were so hard for you. I know how much it bothered you to ask for help getting up the stairs--I didn't mean to hurt you when I grabbed you and lifted you up, I was trying to help you. I would never hurt you deliberately. I hope that you understand why I decided to make you cross the Rainbow Bridge when I did--the tumour had eaten all the bone mass in your pelvis, and if you slipped or fell, you would have broken your hip and been in even more agony that you were on a daily basis. I feel like I may have ended your life a week or two prematurely, but I was trying to spare you more pain. What I did, I did out of love, pure love for you. I hope that you understand that. It's been 3 months, and I still miss you so much. I can't believe that I'll never get to see you again, or feel your soft fur, or hear you complain when you want in and I'm not quick enough to get to the door. Wherever you are, I hope that you are not in any pain and can run and play. Know that I love you and miss you and I always always will. I will never ever ever forget you. You are always in my heart.

Love,

Mommy Nancy