For so many of us dog owners, our four legged friends are an integral part of our lives. They’re faithful friends, provide unconditional love, and constant companionship.
When I lost Marley last March, Christine understood exactly what I was feeling, because she’d had a similar experience just a few months prior.
In this photograph, you see Christine, and her dog Scooter. But what you also see is her beloved dog Shelly, whom she lost earlier this year after a long and wonderful time together.
The photo album Christine is holding is full of photographs of Shelly, along with letters Christine wrote as her way of dealing with the grief of loosing Shelly. It’s a wonderful scrapbook of the time they had together, and something she’ll treasure always while Shelly waits for her at the Rainbow Bridge. (for you pet owners who haven’t seen the Rainbow Bridge movie, it’s something you must see, especially if you’ve experienced the loss of a beloved pet.)
Beside Christine, you’ll see a small box. That contains Shelly’s ashes.
Christine adores Scooter, and he’s a wonderful companion. But when you love an animal as much as she loved Shelly, they never leave your life, for they’ve left indelible Pawprints on Your Heart.
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Christine - Losing a pet, no matter how long you’ve had them, can be very tramatic for many.
I got Shelly my senior year in high school (Winter of 1996). We did almost everything together. She traveled with me, read books with me, watched TV with me, took naps with me, etc. When I would cry she would come cuddle up with me knowing I needed her love. She was there for me when no one else was and especially when no one else could be.
It broke my heart when she got sick in December 2007. Scooter and I tried to take care of her, but she was not well at all, so I made the hard decision to put her down.
My therapy was to make a scrapbook of her life through pictures I had taken throughout the 11 years, and researching poems about the love of pets and puppy love. I’m thankful that Scooter had time with her too and that they could cuddle together during her last month with us.
I am so thankful I have Scooter in my life to help me grieve over Shelly, even as I may do today. They are not just pets…they are family.