Abby

2004 - 07/17/2017

To our Sweet Abby Girl,
I fell in love with you from the moment I saw you across the way at your adoption event. You were a pound pup and had already been brought back once but when your foster opened the door to your crate you came out, sat down, and as I kneeled, you put your paw on my leg and looked up at me with the sweetest of eyes. I knew then that you were going to be ours forever. You met our beagle and you guys became best buddies forever. You walked again after a partial paralysis left your back end immobile in 2010, but you had lots of adventures before that. They said you’d never walk again but they didn’t know you. Through that time we gained a closeness and a bond that could never be broken. We hoped you wouldn’t leave us and you didn’t. Instead you walked again. In later years, you battled a mast cell tumor on your leg and recovered as our family journeyed to California. You enjoyed being a Cali girl. You then had to have a toe amputated due to a cancerous tumor. You began to walk even better. You followed us through three states, 10 homes and many cities. You enjoyed many treats, walks, belly rubs, leg massages, play dates, playing with your toys (bone, rope toys, tennis balls), snuggles with your buddy, lay downs in the sun and jaunts through the fields. You helped us through physical and emotional difficulties and you used your body to support mine and lift me up when I was weak and pain filled. We had to let your body go on July 17 when you were losing a third battle to cancer, unbeknownst to us, and it was the hardest, kindest task laid before us. You were almost 13 years old. As a family, we shared our last thoughts with you, gave you your last bath, you took your last walk to the car and your last car ride to the vet. We stayed with you and shared our thoughts, our thanks to you and our love with you and then we released you from your pain. We chose to have a communal cremation. You will never be alone. You will nurture the Earth and you are in the most beautiful countryside in Napa. We will visit the memorial gardens as we can’t visit you directly. You were a therapist, a confidante, a companion, a protector, a teacher, and most importantly, a friend. You were strength personified. You were brave and gentle. Your kindness, bravery, comfort, support, love, memories and lessons you taught us will remain with us forever. You will always be our sweet girl and you will be greatly missed. Until we meet again, our Sweet Abby, we love you always.
Love,
Bethany, Jay and Foster the beagle