Being a dog person, I loved this post. We rescued 3 from the shelter whom also lived to be 18. -R-

Awwww. We picked out pound animals by how calm they were too.
I'm glad you found Chelsea, those pound friends are so grateful and loving...18 years! How lucky for all of you : )
Thanks for this, I love the premise of this Open Call:
"And Then There Was..."

Sorry for your loss. I had two dogs and a cat, then one dog and a cat, now only a cat. Losing them is not easy. Loving them is.

Sweet and sad. I'm sorry she is gone.~r

Sorry for your loss

I thought this would be a story about your acquisition of a new pet-pal. I'm sorry to read that it's a farewell. My sincere condolences to you and your wife. RIP, Chelsea.

R♥

Christine -- Thanks

JT -- It was remembering her. She passed in 2004.

Phyllis -- She passed a long time ago. But I think of her often.

Joan -- She was a great dog.

BS -- Thanks.

FusunA -- in 2004 she passed.

Sheepie,

I am so sorry for your loss. From what you wrote it's clear that you really loved her.

Sorry to hear about your lose. I'm sure she was grateful to her dying day for taking her out of that shelter. R

I've lost a dog, about ten cats, a wonderful mated pair of angelfish, a seagull with a broken wing, a muskrat, a pair of white rats, several mice, a swift, a swallow, and just recently a sparrow that lived with me for seven years. It's always a knife in the heart.

...and then there were some tears.... The loss of the love of and from an animal is profound. Almost as profound as the love of and from them.

Ahhhhhh, sweet story!!

Sheepdog: I'm sorry. I understand you. I lost my furry baby last November, but there's hardly a day I don't think of him. Even though another orange feline is sharing my love and home now, grateful for leaving his shelter, I will always remember and hurt when I think of my Selim.

Awwww. They break your heart.

I realized, I was happy for you that she lived so long. Sorry if it didn't come across well. Our oldest dog made it to 14...so I was impressed by Chelsea's longevity...
A nice tribute to a well beloved furry friend.

That's kind of what it felt like looking for a kitty at the Humane Society recently after the death of our young Teaser. Apparently they called Honey Boy "Norm" because he was the only one out of the litter that wasn't missing part of a tale or a leg. I think that story scared away a few people who noticed how cute and social he was. It's great that you got 14 years with that wonderful dog!

This is my favorite of the Open Call. Shelter animals are wonderful!

She was lucky finding you guys. I'd say you found her, but we know that isn't so.

Eighteen is a long life for a big dog. You obviously loved her so much! Thank you so much for adopting her!

Gads. Jan Sand said it best for me.

Once I found a dog named`Tomorrow.

She was a black and white kennel mutt.

I told the children we'll talk. Tomorrow.

WE named her 'Tomorrow. I found her...
One day - on a walk in the woods She died.
She - Tomorrow - was shot by a deer hunter.
Jan Etc., reminded me of other sad deaths.

Neighbor dogs would come up the drive.
Tomorrow - And other dogs smell deer.
Hunters kill deer. Deer lay decomposing.
`
It's a so-called hunters law. Kill stray dogs.
The hunter never asked about my children.
I saw a black and white hide the next Spring.
A dead dog form just laid motionless. Sigh.
I never brought the bad news home. I cried.
&
too slow
what a site
bebop-o
where?
Kerry?
try `gin.

OES, Mel and I are first and foremost, dog people. Mel has rescued too many to count and our lives were enriched by each and every one of them so this entry struck a chord with both of us.

Don't tel anyone but, my best friend is an 8 year old Cocker Spaniel that was a retired breeder. I don't know how I'll react when he goes. My constant companion. So I know that you speak the truth, I am sorry.

We got our dog from a farm but had him for 14 years as well. Our 4 cats in Saudi were picked up from an animal shelter here - or people associated with the group. Wonderful post.

What a blessing for you and for Chelsea! Thanks for sharing her memories with us.

they are one of the best things about life

A nice tribute to what sounds like a wonderful dog.

my condolences -- sad -- too sad.

I've adopted four shelter cats in my life. Francesca, the third of these, surprised me with a kitten when I'd had her for just a month. Alas, I had to say farewell to that kitten, Nina, in May 2010. But I still have her mother, and now I have Dmitri, Adoptee no. 5. The grief of losing them can't deter me from filling my life with cats.

I'm very fond of dogs too, and Chelsea sounds like an exemplary one. A nice loving calm dog is a joy to be around.

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