Abbey was a huge personality in a small 5lb package. She spent
most of her days living on a sailboat and had so many adventures,
sailing New England, the coast of Florida. We found out early on
that she loved the beach, the dingy and playing fetch. She played
fetch better than a lab, it shocked most people but we knew we had
a cool dog. When we did live in a house for a bit in New
Hampshire, we took her hiking a lot. One hike I remember was a 10
mile hike to a gorgeous summit, it was steep and a long day. I’d
always lag behind and she’d stop to make sure she was equal
distance between me and Matt, my husband. Along that hike we
passed many hikers and their dogs while they rested. They were
shocked seeing this little white fluffy dog zip passed them. No
rest needed for my little Abbey. She was a strong little gal,
curious and full of energy, ready for the next adventure. The days
without her are different, quiet, there’s a void and it will take
getting used to. I know she’s at peace now and I hope she is
energetic, and full of adventure in doggy heaven. I pray that she
knows how much we loved her, even when she wasn’t being a very
good girl. She was 5 pounds of chaos in our life for 14 1/2 years
and we wish we had more time. We will never forget you Abbey and I
hope you feel our love all around you, all the time. You
were and will always be our little sidekick.
Addie, December 26, 2006 - June
17, 2019
Surrounded by incredible love, warmth, admiration, and dignity,
Ms. Addie (Iafrate) crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on June 17,
2019. To my best friend, my confidant, my one and only, I will
carry a piece of you and your infectious smile in my heart each
and every day. I will never ever forget you and your unconditional
love. It was an honor and a privilege to be your mommy for more
than 12 years, and I love you to the moon and back a million times
over.
I always said that the day I found Addie, I had been rescued - not
the other way around.
Jen and I are both very broken right now, but at the same time,
feel so blessed and humbled for our time with Addie. I pray that
the wonderful memories of her live on forever. Fly high, my
beautiful angel.
ANGIE, JAN 2011
- FEB 20 2019
This little girl came in to my heart and soul on 7-31-11. I
was going to foster her for a short while for the local rescue,
DFW Tzus and More. Well, after only a few short minutes, I
was a foster failure. She just immediately became home for
me and I for her. Following that we found out she had a PDA
and the rescue raised the money for her to get the surgery, which
we did in September of 2011, but the problem was, the surgery was
unsuccessful and could not be completed because of the vessel wall
being so thin. The surgeon called me to ask if she had a
home to live out whatever life she had left to which I eagerly
through tears said ABSOLUTELY.
So after the first year, Angie going strong and my original vet,
now deceased, told me that she could live a normal life for years,
which she did......until the end started, unknowingly for me,
which was a slow sit down coming back from potty break in the
yard...then we rushed to the ER, blood work all came out ok, they
said no cardiac failure, but we did not check pulmonary
functions.....that evening we had bad runs and I had to take her
back in to the ER, following a day of oxygen therapy, more tests,
then another day home only to be scared the next morning as she
began to swell in the tummy, rushed to a cardiologist that after
3,000 of tests said she needed another 4-6k of treatment I could
never afford, then brought her home and she passed that
night,early morning on 2-20-19.
BUT her life was one of the most advantaged and completely loved
and spoiled little babies in the world. She was my little
TOOT I called her, and MONSTER as she would be so gregarious with
her playing. Since she was only to live a year, I never
disciplined or socialized her, my bad...but oh was she a queen
bee.
The ER doc said she had in all her years never seen a dog live
past 3 years with a PDA and Angie lived 7.5 years. Dr. said
she would never believed it had she not met Angie. She truly
was looked over and was an Angel. Even though the numbers
and all that make me lucky to have her those years, my heart and
soul are in such torment and grief stricken loss that I have never
had in the years past with losing a loved pet like this.
She was the center of most everything in my life and grew up on my
lap, behind my shoulder on the sofa back, or right at my feet
whether we were driving in the camper to visit family/friends, or
sitting home watching tv. In all those years I slept 3
nights away from her cradled in my arm snoozing happily.
Her end is almost at times feels like my end, but I am striving to
go on, and have a foster, even though it is too soon, I am
trying..tears and waves of sobbing are still way too many only 5
days from losing her, and the guilt and the anguish I always seem
to generate are better, but the deep loss is still an open and
tearing wound. I have lost 8 babies in 30 years, never one
that passed at home from pneumonia/pulmonary hypertension like
this, it is just a horror. Every time I go back to my room I
see the spot....and am trying to get past it...Prayer is a
wonderful thing and I pray and hope this horrible suffering and
sobbing ebbs soon..
Annie, 4/12/06 -
03/07/19
Annabel, sweet Annie. I have cried until my eyes are
raw. 13 years of you sleeping in my bed, following me
everywhere, your only desire to have me hold you...your blue eyes
searching mine always...gone so suddenly. From the day I
picked you up, tiny little blue eyed baby, then your sickness and
worry over you, you’ve had my heart. Because you were the
easiest and sweetest in a house full of high maintenance and big
personality animals and people, you were often overlooked. I
regretfully admit that I brushed you off of me, literally, so many
times. My defense was that you snagged my clothes (my face,
lips, ears too) with your kneading, but what I wouldn’t give right
now to have you snagging me.
What a little ray of light you have been to our family.
Sweet, cuddling with other animals, willing to give anyone a
chance...even a new stinky ferret who wanted to bite you or a new
Doberman pup who was much less than gentle. 13 years of
sleeping on my head, with your paw tucked into my hand (mostly so
you couldn’t scratch my face). 13 years during which the
weight of you on my head grew more! I have shared my life
with so many furry friends, large and small, but I am certain that
I won’t see your like again. Perhaps because you were weaned
too soon, you thought of me as your mama from the moment I brought
you home.
You have the distinction of being one of the few animals your dad
actually said I could have. You were in a cage at the vet
with other kittens and you reached your paws out to grab your
dad. He left you there, but when he got home, taken with
you, he called the vet and said I would be coming to get you...and
here, right in our hearts, you lodged yourself so firmly,
Annie.
I am glad I got the night to hold you, and the early morning talk
about one of us going on ahead of the other, but that Heaven holds
promise that we will meet again. After you were gone, my
weeping raw eyes searched and asked Jesus for a sign that I would
see you again. Faithful to me, God saw my hurting heart and
showed me a perfect blue circle in gray clouds, and then shortly
after, a glorious colored sunset, which allowed my sobbing eyes
and aching heart to calm. I know that you know that I
love and miss you, and hold firm to the promise that I will hold
you again. I hope you are being held by angels, and that it
seems like a moment until I am with you again. Dad, Lukie,
and Buddy miss you...I am shattered and can’t help but to look for
you in all the usual places. Thank you for being my little light,
my love for so many years. You were the gentle
background music I didn’t even realize was playing for so
long. I love you to infinity and beyond, Annie girl. I
will hold you again in our Heavenly home...this time for eternity,
when we will live in joy forever. Love you more than words
will ever say.
Year 2019 Tributes
