December, 1988 - October, 2004 

I rescued my beloved boy "Happy" (Sir Happy Days) from a breeder when he was 3 years old. The first day I had him he made it known that he was not thrilled about leaving his home, and actually gave me dirty looks the entire day. The second day I had him, he ran out the door and was hit by a car.

The vet gave me a choice, put to sleep the dog I only had for 40 hours or so, or replace his entire hip and pay the $1,000 vet bill for the surgery, hospital stay, etc...

There was no reason to even discuss it. My Happy went into surgery an hour later, and from that day on, he never left my side. He became the best dog I had ever seen. I swear he understood English. I could say anything to him, and he would respond immediately. He even sensed when my hearing was going, and took it upon himself to wake me at night when the baby woke up, or alerted me to any little sound, even when the phone rang!

Through the years, he had many problems; cancer in his mouth which we cured, tumors on his body which were removed, and then one day the worst... a Rottweiler came running toward my 2 young children, teeth bared and snarling, about to attack! Happy jumped in front of the kids and charged the Rott head on. The Rott picked him up and shook him like a rag doll! Two surgeries later, and 2 vets that said he would never make it, Happy came out of the recovery room and not only walked, but ran to me!

About a year and a half ago Happy was diagnosed with renal failure and started to lose weight quickly. Once again I was told he had only a couple of months to live. I did everything I could to make his life better, even tried a medication to help prolong and better his life. He hung on for over a year, but in Oct. of 2004 I had to make the hardest decision of my life. Poor Happy was already 16 years old now, and in a lot of pain. He was no longer able to control his bladder, could barely walk, and his teeth had gotten quite bad so it was even difficult for him to eat. With his heart murmur as well, the vet could not put him out to clean them, even though I cleaned them as best I could at home every day. As much as it hurt, I knew what I needed to do, and called the vet. For the first time in days, Happy got up from his bed, came over to me, and when I hung up, he sat up as best he could and gave me his paw as if to say things would be o.k.

My husband stopped at the grocery store and brought home a nice steak at lunchtime. It was grilled perfectly, and cut up very small, and Happy ate every last bite. We took him in that afternoon. As he lay on the table, I bent down to kiss him on the nose, and at that moment, he took one last deep breath, as if taking it from me, and closed his eyes. His pain was over.

Happy was 16 years old, and I had the pleasure of knowing him for 13 of those years. There will never be another animal in my life that will ever touch my heart the way my "Happy" boy did.

Teri Donahue
Lancaster, CA

January 18, 1995 - August 2, 2004

To Rocky my sweet Sheltie Angel - -

On March 25, 1995 when I brought you home, you were always my baby pupper and we were never separated until the night you left for the bridge. Oh Rocky, it's so hard for me to include in such a few words all the memories I have in my heart. I burned a candle for you and Mittens and Rebel on Christmas. I lost all of you within seven months and now you are all three together on the Bridge. I didn't realize how much you must have missed Mittens and Rebel and how much you must have needed a companion. When you were in the hospital for those 4 awful days, on that last night I asked the doctor if you would live through the night and when she said she didn't think so, there was no decision to make - - I had to be with you and hold you while you passed over to The Bridge. Then I asked the doctor if you were gone she said "yes, he's passed away" and she left the two of us alone together for a while. Mike talked with me from Albuquerque this whole time. Everything happened so fast I think I was in a daze.

When Mike came to Phoenix a week later we sat outside the clinic for a while and he picked some flowers for you.  I have your ashes at the top of my bed and when my time is up I've asked that our ashes be put together so I won't have to be alone. Last March when I learned how sick you were I could hardly stand it. Then one special day last April you were a little better and we sat together on the swing - - It was a beautiful day and the flowers were blooming and I pushed everything out of my mind and held you and just thought "right here and now in this very moment you're alive" and that was all I wanted to think about. This is my special place to be with you. 

Rocky, do you remember all your little pit stops when we'd walk in the mornings? And do you remember the places we traveled together - - and how we spent Christmas Eve in a blizzard in the van outside a truck stop in Amarillo - - and all the Love Truck Stops? How you'd grab at door knobs & floppy disks and run out the doggie door before you'd eat.  You were so special.

For the rest of my life you'll always be with me - - after all for 9 1/2 years it was just you and me. Thank you so much for those wonderful years. Tomorrow I'm getting a little baby kitten - - this would have been your tenth birthday. I wish you could be here to play with him - - you would love each other so much. Please help me watch over this new baby.

Rocky you'll always be my baby pupper, and sweetheart, please wait for us at the bridge so we can all be together again. I will never forget you. I love you so much.

Your best friend Pat

"Tessa"

May, 1999 - March, 2005

Our Angel Tessa-

"Morgan"

July 28, 1994 - March 5, 2005

"Averie"

November, 2003 - January, 2005