Dear Ringo,

What a wonderful companion you were to me. I love all your little quirks; your fear of squeaky toys, your lopsided ears, and of course your loyalty to anything that would get rid of things you didn't like. You came to us full grown with a mysterious past we could never figure out, but to us you were our puppy. Alas you had little use for play but got endless enjoyment out of sitting in the grass, letting the wind flap your beagle ears. Its been a few years since you left us but I'll always have your paw print on my heart. I'll love you always,

Love,

Barb

Dear Louie,

I lost you in Jan. but you'd been sick for a while. Thanks for being my buddy for so

many years even if you really weren't the best dog ever. I still loved you the best. Hopefully, we'll meet again, my love....

Love,

Your Momma

Dear Maggie,

I am so happy that I had the pleasure of meeting you, helping you and finding you a loving home in your last days. I met you while I was working. You would come over, begging for food. Most of the staff fed you, but I'm sure not all of them did. I would go the your home, if you can call it that and ask them to keep you in the house, but they never did. I think I saw you almost hit by cars, as you crossed the street, over a dozen times. You poor girl couldn't hear them, or maybe you didn't really care. I decided that day you came to visit us with icicles hanging off your underside that I would find you a good home. I wanted to take you in myself, but I knew my boys would give you a difficult time and you were such an old gal, I wouldn't let you go through that. I'm so sorry that I made you live at the pound for that week. It was the 'legal' way of doing things. I am so thankful those people that had you didn't come looking for you! I begged my sister to foster you until I could get you into a new home. You were a typical dog's dog, didn't like people in your face, or touching your things and you couldn't hold your bladder very well either, I knew I had to find just the right family for you. I didn't think my sister would be able to help you for a long time, you know what a clean freak she is! But...your Daddy fell head over heels for you! After a few days, so did your Mommy and they wouldn't let you leave them, they loved you so much!! Your Daddy took you everywhere with him. You loved watching the hockey games! They were so worried that day you broke free, to go do your doggie things once more, by yourself. They were everjoyed when you showed up several hours later, filthy, with a giant smile on your face and a twinkle in your eye! The last few days of your life, your Daddy was so sad. He knew you were going to have to go soon. He called me on your last day, ready to set you free so you could do your doggie things forever. I am so happy I got to be with you at the end of your life. I am so happy you cuddled with you Daddy. You change him you know. He was a grump before you. You brought such happiness into his life for the three years you lived with him! And to think the vets said you were between 15 and 17 and would be lucky to make it 6 months! You showed them girl! You may not have had the greatest life before, but I know you did for at least a few years and that you did so much to help your new family. You loved them and you never stopped liking me a whole lot too. I wish you could have stayed a little longer, but I'm happy you didn't have too much pain and you had so much love in your life. Thank you my Maggie May for comming into our lives, letting us love you and changing our worlds. I love you sweetie!

Love,

Auntie Tammy

Dear Biggie, Boook & Roo,

Earthly greetings to my "heavenly" Thundering Herd! It sure is quiet here without you - coming through the door at times is unbearable as each of you passed within a 18 month period. What long and wonderful lives you had- we are so thankful for our times together - you were my angels with wet noses!! I look forward to our next meeting on the other side of that Rainbow Bridge I've heard so much about, but in the meantime, have fun, feel well and thank you Biggie, Boook & Roo for all the times you made me feel so special and blessed to have you in my/our lives. We miss you so much and think of you guys every day!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO!!

Love,

Mom

Dear Mom,

I still can't believe you are gone. It's so unbelievable.

I stop myself sometimes from calling and catch myself thinking that I can still stop by on the way home.

It wasn't enough time, though I am grateful for the time we had... I am wrecked with the thoughts of your final days. It was so hard to stay positive for you. Especially when you would ask if I thought you might make it... I wish that I had thought so, but I was seeing you deteriorate so fast, it seemed impossible and I guess it ultimately was. Nobody outside understood, they kept trying to be positive and would remind me of people we knew that had survived cancer, lived with cancer, beat cancer. Everyone was very supportive and warm; in some ways, that made it harder.

I still can't believe that you are gone. I feel as though you are as close as you've ever been. It's like being teased, really.

I remember watching as you died, you stared blankly at me and kept asking me to help you. There was nothing I could do but my best to comfort you. I pet your hair and kept trying to reassure you and express my love. I have held on so tight to your last words to me, "I love you too." They are emblazoned in my auditory memory and when I think or say aloud, "I love you mom," I can hear your reply.

I remember watching as you began to take your last few breaths. You may even have already been gone, watching us as we sang you on your way. We prayed some of your favorite prayers. My heart broke there and I can't shake the images of that last hour. To see someone I love so much reduced to such pain, agony, fear, sadness is too much to bear.

I hope you are well, I hope you are fearless, I hope you are safe, and I hope you are. I pray that you can hear me when I want you to and that you have been released from that with which you struggled here.

We miss you so much. I miss you.

Love,

Your Son

Dear Cricket,

It has been one week now since you left me behind. I am so sorry that I was not there when you needed me. You were always there for me. I am sorry to that I didn't understand that you were trying to tello me how much you were hurting near the end. You always understood everything I said. We miss you so much. I will always Love you. You will be in my heart forever.

Missing You,

Patty

Dear Zoë,

You came into the world a bit early. They weren’t expecting you for several days when your mum decided to have you in a tulip patch. Your dad and I visited you when you were barely a week old. I remember planting kisses on your head and falling instantly and madly in love with you. You looked like a little loaf of bread.

I remember getting updates. Those first grainy black and white pictures coming over the internet of such a serious little girl.

When I found out you had cancer my heart broke. I knew that you would be taken from us too soon. You were such a trooper. Taking your meds and not complaining. Never a whimper or a sigh. When I saw you start to struggle with the stairs that you had previously run up and down while fetching your toy, I knew you weren’t letting on how much you hurt.

Last Sunday afternoon you sat dawn and decided not to get up. I knew the end was near. You didn’t even want to see your beloved toy. That toy that was never out of your sight.

Later that night you kept kissing my hand with such an intensity that I felt you were telling me that you were ready…and getting in as much love as we both could bear.

You died, later that night, at home, while lying on the same blanket you had slept on your first night with us. You took such a huge piece of my heart with you. I just can’t stop crying, I miss you so much. Your baby sister Emma keeps looking for you as well. I see her confusion as she doesn’t quite understand where you have gone.

I will keep my promise to you. You were a good dog, so brave and beautiful.

I will always love you.

RIP Zoë --- June 1999 June 2010

Peace,

Your momma.

Dear Scooter,

You brought so much to our lives, and I only hope we gave you as much joy and love as you gave to us. You didn't ask for much, just some food, pets, and snuggles on cold nights. You loved the sunny spots that traveled across the lawn in the afternoons, and you were so innocent. I pray every day that you knew how much you were loved, all the way to the end. Your pain was so visible, and every day you suffered, it broke our hearts. I wish there was something more we could have done, I wish I had a magic wand.

You deserved to be at peace, and we miss you so much. I hope that where you are now there is no more pain and you can eat all the fish and chicken you want. I hope there are sunny spots all day long, and cozy places to snuggle if it gets chilly.

We will always miss you.

Love,

your family

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

Dear RAINBEAR,

MARCH 1ST 2010 you went to sleep. rain i will never be the same. I pray ,I wish I bow to you my heart& soul please forgive me. you were not ready! I keep seeing & hearing the vet saying she is going to wake up are you sure?! omg rain when you lost your hearing and blind I thought maybe you were so uncomfortable maybe unhappy. yet lisa knew my hands were tied it was as she put the gun in my hand you were tring to wake up.please feel my heart it went with you!!!!!!!!!!you were 19 you kept your promise you never leave me and you were and are so much bigger person then most humans you made me peaceful, we are soulmates and you are & were truly amazing spirit and soul. I just cant believe your not here and that day at vet . hear me feel me I love you you are my heart and it went with you.

Love,

mommy