Chilli Says Goodbye to Her First Fur Baby

I was looking forward to taking a nap after work yesterday. I was almost home when my phone rang. It was my Dad, so I answered...however, the voice on the other end wasn't him. It was the vet. He told me Kookla had fallen down the stairs and dislocated her hip and hit her head. Since Kookla is almost 18-years old and suffering from kidney disease, he said it may be time for us to say goodbye. I asked the doctor to put my Dad on the phone. Through tears, my Dad told me about the accident. Kookla was my Dad's companion and he wasn't ready to let her go.

I immediately drove to the vet...and less than 20-minutes later, she was gone. My heart broke for my Dad. This was the day I dreaded since bringing her into our lives almost 18-years ago.

It was 2004. I had broken up with my boyfriend and my heart was shattered. I wanted to fill the void in my heart...and becoming a pet parent seemed like the best solution. Kookla lived with me for the first year of her life. Since my parents lived just a couple of miles away, my mother would come by while I was at work at take her back to my parent's house. It became clear that my mother was growing more and more attached to Kookla . In 2005, my mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Kookla never left her side...and after my mother passed away in 2009, Kookla became my Dad's best friend. She helped all of us cope with so much loss over the years. What a gift.

I know many of you have suffered the loss of a fur baby. It's horrible. I also know that we are all better people because of our pets. The unconditional love we get from them gives us life. When I got home from the vet yesterday, I was greeted by our 8-month old puppy, Bella. I picked her up and rocked her in my arms while kissing her sweet face. I couldn't help but wonder how long we'd have her around before she crossed the rainbow bridge. If we're lucky, Bella will live a long life like Kookla did. I may not know when she'll cross the rainbow bridge...but I do know we're going to cherish every moment we have with her.