In Memoriam Gallery 3

 

Dear Coco,
From the moment we saw you, your loving spirit entered our hearts. To us you were more than a dog. You were part of who we were. You brought out the best in us and asked for very little in return. When you dug out of the play area outside, it was because you only wanted to spend more time with us. You protected us and we in turn protected you, from those terrifying thunderstorms that caused you to curl into a ball and shake from fear. We called you a (TSG) Tight-Skinned Greyhound — you were never fat. When you had trouble seeing the stairs at night, we carried you. When you got sick, we never dreamed that you would leave us so soon. You were our "Coco-puffy" and we miss you very much. We love you and you will be a part of our hearts forever.

With love,
Your Forever Family
Coco (front) with Bella

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

It was Easter weekend 2006 when Jill, “Ishka’s” Foster Mother, brought her to my home.  Jill got out of the car, brought her to me and asked me to hold her leash while she got her IG boys out of the car.  While I was standing there outside my home, I looked down at this little frail sweet angel and saw that she was shaking.  I picked her up, held her close and kissed her face, told her that everything would be alright.  When Jill came back up to the house, she was amazed to see me actually holding Ishka.  Jill told me that Ishka had been hard to place in a forever home because of her mistrust for people and her many fears.  I knew of her traumas as a Hurricane Katrina victim and for being kept constantly in a cage her entire life.  We had an immediate connection and I believe she knew I would provide the love she so desperately needed.  I already had one Italian Greyhound as a member of my family (Bullet) and wanted her to have a companion.  The first thing I did was change Ishka’s name because if she was going to have a brand new life with a new start, she needed a brand new name.  I decided to name Ishka “Remington” – and called her "Remi" for short.  It fit her daintiness, her personality and she responded to it immediately as if she were Remi all along.

Although Remi and Bullet never really played together they had mutual respect, protection and love for each other.  Bullet started sleeping in her own huge condo crate and gave up her place beside me in the bed because Bullet realized Remi needed the closeness and love more than she did at the time.  Bullet had been with me 7 years at that time and we have an immensely strong bond.  It was a selfless act, and I will always be grateful for Bullet’s graciousness when Remi came to us.  Remi slept with me every night and her life started to change.  Her body still reflected the ravages of the traumas she had experienced, but it was obvious she was happy and felt comfortable in her new home.  She learned that going out in public, going for walks, going to parties and meeting new people were actually good things.  She was welcomed everywhere she went by my friends and she got better and better at being a part of a family.  I made sure she knew she was loved every day and she embraced that wholeheartedly.

At Christmas time, my husband felt the need for his own puppy, so we adopted a Chihuahua and named him Squeaky T.  We had no idea when we got The Squeak (as we call him) what a profound effect he would have on Remi.  She started playing tug-of-war, chasing, wrestling, and loving on The Squeak as if they had been playmates forever.  They slept side by side and it was obvious that the puppy brought new life to Remi.  Her back started to straighten out and she had a new pep to her step.  It was an amazing transformation and I was so happy I cried.

When Remi hurt her back while playing in April of 2008, The Squeak and Bullet stayed by her side non-stop for two solid days.  The Squeak, being only a 6 month old puppy, would kiss her face constantly and make sure that she was okay.  After we found out that Remi had a soft tissue injury and that she would always be in pain, the doctors told us we needed to have her hooked up to IVs and in a hospital for a long period of time.  I knew right then that I could not do that to Remi because she would have been terrified the entire time.  It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.  Remi and The Squeak laid side by side when the doctor came to our home.  After the initial shot to stop the pain, Remi was able to get up, go outside for one last time, and then came back to lay down in her favorite spot on the couch.  When Remi drifted slowly off to Rainbow Bridge, The Squeak cried for her.  I saw her back get straighter than I had ever seen it before.  She no longer had a look of pain, she had a definite smile on her face and Remi died with dignity and grace. 

I know the last two years of Remi’s life were truly happy, truly fulfilled and she knew she was loved very much by our entire family.  Remi taught us all lessons on how to love even though someone is not completely perfect, that it is possible to trust again and that when you are loved, everything will be okay when it is your time to go to Rainbow Bridge.

Remi is still very missed every day by Bullet, The Squeak and by me and my husband.  She had a profound effect on all of us as well and we will always think of her and love her.

 
Bonita  
 

In Loving Memory | Gallery 1 | Gallery 2 | Gallery 3 |

 

Petloss.com — a gentle website for pet lovers who are grieving. The Monday Pet Loss Candle Ceremony, Tribute Pages, healing poetry and more

The Rainbow Bridge at Earthrenewal.org — compassionate poetry and other resources to help deal with the loss of a pet

In Memory of Pets — a place where you can express your true feelings from your heart with tributes, poems, pet's family stories, e-cards and more

Paws Memorial Service — a family-owned and operated pet crematory and funeral home serving the Greater Houston area


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