Celebration of Life
This is an artistic rendition that my husband, Radford, created from a photo of our dog, Midnight. He has it on his website www.blackhoundphotography.com, named for our beautiful hound.
He calls him the best ball-catcher ever. Midnight did love to run! He taught us the dogly lesson "life is short, be happy!"
Sage came to us from under a porch at about six weeks. She was an angry little puff ball and spent her first three days behind our couch hissing and spitting when we came near. Eventually she tired herself out and I was able to scoop her up and set her down. Aslan our other kitten from another litter immediately took her under his wing and showed her the food and litter box. He after that was always in her space, much to her dismay, crawling into the cat bucket with her/on her for naps. It still took us a couple more months to get her accustomed to her people and she was always shy.
As a blue eyed chocolate point Siamese Sage was always a beauty and would strike poses that said look at me. She had the most amazing soft fur and I loved snuggling with her and listening to her sweet purr. When I was pregnant with our first child she would curl up with a paw on my belly at night and purr me to sleep.
Sagie was always a very athletic kitty and seemed to constantly find ways to get herself into trouble. She loved to play but always on her own terms and would pounce on anything moving under blankets. Even though she was petite compared to her 15 lb brother she could jump higher and farther than any other cat I have known. She was quite curious and would constantly open cabinets and pull drawers out so you could tell where she had been in a day. She was also a master hider and more than once was able to miss out on a vet appointment because we couldn't find her. It was hard to watch her decline in the end but I would not trade the time we had with her for anything.
-Shawn
May joined me in my first "real" house in 2000, and made my house a home for the next 13+ years. She was my best friend and my teacher right up until it came time to say goodbye. She continues to be a major influence in my life, and I will always think of her in the present tense. Our time together on this physical earth may be in the past, but she lives on, in my heart and in my mind, now and forever.
Randy
For more about Randy and May, click here
This is a sketch of Phoebe by her girl, Logan.
Phoebe was so full of life, love and joy!
After nearly 16-1/2 years together I lost my sweet Casey on June 16, 2014. He was such a good boy. In his younger days he had a little trot to his step that was so cute. He loved to play with toys, chase rabbits in the back yard and go for a walk. I always said he was a marathoner; he’d start out slow and about one-third to halfway through break out into a run, as fast as I could go, the rest of the way home. He was always there to greet me when I came home and snuggled with me at night. We had a special bond and my heart breaks knowing I will never see him again in this lifetime. I love him with all my heart and soul and miss him every hour of every day. Casey, you will be forever in my heart.
Patti
Shiloh - Loved so very much!
I am so very grateful for the experiences, relationship, and life’s joys with Shiloh!
- J. Vollers
I am so very grateful for the experiences, relationship, and life’s joys with Shiloh!
- J. Vollers
Schism - so handsome!
Loved by his family and always remembered.
I was surprised to see this photo of Claude, sent by her family. I met her later in life when she was 18yrs old, quite thin and had multiple medical issues. She was so vibrant and beautiful in her day, ok, a bit chubby, but wow what a different cat! Claude was very much loved by her family, especially her boy, Hayden, who had the insight to recognize her strong will to live and the courage to express that to the adults around him. His parents had the compassion to listen and we were able to provide Claude with the supportive care she needed, allowing her to die on her own terms. This was one of the most beautiful examples of a family working together and involving their children in the end of life care of their beloved friend.
This insightful poem was written by a young girl when Goldberg, her companion through all of her life, died at the age of 13yrs.
I stare at a plant, so shriveled and small,
I look round at my classmates, so dismal.
I think of that plant withering
away. How it seemed to be just like you,
how you drifted from our lives so slowly
how no one seemed to care, just like my classmates, when you left.
Though I think a much greater
deal of your likeness to a redwood
in the forests of California, majestic
and firm. A place of comfort and shadow from the grueling sun, so loyal,
as you once were. Despite their age, like you, they seem to grow to the heavens,
where I know you lie now.
by Ali
I stare at a plant, so shriveled and small,
I look round at my classmates, so dismal.
I think of that plant withering
away. How it seemed to be just like you,
how you drifted from our lives so slowly
how no one seemed to care, just like my classmates, when you left.
Though I think a much greater
deal of your likeness to a redwood
in the forests of California, majestic
and firm. A place of comfort and shadow from the grueling sun, so loyal,
as you once were. Despite their age, like you, they seem to grow to the heavens,
where I know you lie now.
by Ali
We had many animals around my home growing up in the desert, but Shere Khan was a special childhood friend who went everywhere with me. He helped me shovel the horse corral, care for my rabbits, and build forts out of brush and cactus skeletons. He was a skilled rattlesnake wrangler and always alerted the family to a snake near the house, agitating to make them rattle, but thankfully, never getting bit. He slept with me at night, and sometimes tried to slip in through my window with a small rodent snack for later. He had the disposition of a wise old spirit, compassionate and kind, always there when I needed someone to talk to.
When I was young, Coco, our black labrador retriever, traveled everywhere with my family in a camper with screened windows that could be opened to let the air circulate when she had to stay with the truck. She walked beaches from Oregon to Alaska, Maine to Florida, down into Mexico, and everywhere in between. Later, she taught Kenai, the young whippersnapper in the photo, how to be civilized. These lessons must have included how to properly sit in a canoe to get to the prime out-of-the-way camping spots, because Kenai learned this skill very quickly and was a great camper as well.
Oliver, the cat, and Kenai, a German shepherd/malamute mix, were best friends and often curled up together to sleep. Oliver was a wild man, found as a 3 week old kitten, and would only allow handling on his own terms. His favorite human place was my Dad's lap, because he sat still and didn't overdo the petting.
Kenai
Oliver
Arthur went off to veterinary school with me as a kitten. He was another wise cat spirit in my life, as well as being an independent-minded soul that really hated to go to the veterinary clinic. He taught me much about living, including how to die well. Arthur was a primary influence in my decision to become a housecall veterinarian and to provide home hospice care for animals.
Skippy came with my husband, Radford, when we were married during veterinary school. Skippy was sweet, loving, playful, dopey and quite entertaining. Arthur and Skippy lived as brothers and died within a few months of each other at the ages of 17y & 18y.
New life: My husband brought this bundle of kittens home to be fostered from the Ames Animal Shelter, which he visits with his veterinary students. Two of the six decided to stay with us - they are James and Sirius, who are our photo models throughout the website. We are hoping that they will be with us a long, long time. Fostering is a great way to get to know an animal before committing to an adoption, and obtaining kittens in pairs helps to assure that they will get along with each other and have a buddy to play with instead of destroying the furniture. See the "choosing a pet" section for more ideas.