If you are grieving the loss of your furbaby, please know that you are not alone. I send this story out to people who contact me through E-mail to tell me they have lost their beloved dog, cat, bird or other beloved pet.

I'm so very sorry for your loss and the indescribable sorrow and grief you have experienced. I understand and know your pain because we lost our precious little muttapoo, Nicholas, on May 19, 1998. He was diagnosed with Canine Lymphoma, in April of 1997.
See Nicky's story at Canine Lymphoma: Nicholas' Story
We fought hard, but the cancer finally won. Nicholas was never really sick until the day we put him to sleep. I don't have any human children and I felt as if I had lost the love of my life.

But I want to tell you, it DOES get easier. There may be some days when you don't even want to get out of bed but there WILL come a time when you think of your baby, that you smile instead of cry. I promise! I'm going to tell you a story. It is a true story. It is a story that I pray will give you hope and inspiration. Please pass it on to others when you hear of a need. This is what happened.


Sparkey's Story
A few years ago a friend of ours, a really wonderful lady named Lou, was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer. At the time of this sad diagnosis, it was to late for the doctors to do much to help Lou. A mutual friend of ours, named Jan, was Lou's very best friend in the whole world. Jan was also a registered nurse and had experienced being with many people, at the end of life.

Over the years, and on many occasions, Jan and I would have "discussions" about whether or not animals would be waiting for us when we die. I always contended that they would be, because the Bible says that there are white horses at the right hand of God, so it always seemed to me that if there were white horses, there would be other animals waiting for us as well. Jan firm stance was that animals did not have souls, therefore they could not go to heaven and they would not be there waiting to greet us.
(Her strict religious upbringing was coming through)

As Lou became more and more ill, and grew even closer to death, Jan stayed with her day and night. Lou finally sank into a deep coma and stayed there for three solid weeks. When she died, Jan was there with her, by her side.
Jan called me the next morning to tell me that Lou had passed way the night before. But Jan didn't tell me the rest of the story for several weeks to come.
You see, it seems that on the night that Lou died, she awoke suddenly from her coma. Her eyes opened and she said one single, solitary word. Lou exclaimed in a quiet, weakened whisper, "SPARKY!" And then just as suddenly as she had awakened, she died.
None of Lou's family knew who "Sparky" was. Not her husband of 45 years, not her grown children, not Jan, no one.
A couple of weeks later, Jan got a call from Lou's family, asking her to please come to their home as soon as possible. It seemed they had something of great importance to show to her. When Jan arrived, Lou's family greeted her with a smile, and then put something in Jan's hand.
It was an old black and white picture.... of a little girl, and a German Shepherd. On the back it was hand written in faded ink...Lou...age 10...and Sparky.

I believe you'll see your baby again! And know this! Your fur baby is having the time of their life! And they knew how deeply you loved, and that you always will. I think they would want us to be happy for the time we shared together. Hugs, and prayers to you. I want you to know, you are not alone in loving an animal so very much! Robin Pressnall