Archives: Memorials

Willow was born on July 23, 2018 in Alabama, where she and her 8 litter mates were fostered before being sent to Petland Norwin. We met on Halloween, October 31, 2018. I was looking for an emotional support animal and Willow fit that mold from the start. Most puppies would be wild, nipping at your hands, but she curled right up in my lap and both my boyfriend and I knew she was coming home with us. Following her adoption, she spent the next several months living with her mom and dad in an apartment in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. While living there she had many toys and a group of puppy friends she would play with at Twin Lakes dog park. In August, 2019 I took a plane to LA and my boyfriend drove there with Willow. There she got to see the beach for the very first time and fell in love. Her favorite thing to do was dig and roll in the sand and later she started learning how to swim. From there, we made our way up to Blaine, Washington. We were staying in a campground at first and enjoyed looking for rocks and shellfish at Birch Bay. I started working at an animal rescue, Embrace a Discarded Animal Society and later started living on the property. There Willow had plenty of room to run through the grass and trees. We left due to personal reasons and started 2020 back In California. We stayed in a converted tiny bus in China town for 1 month, allowing Willow to visit both of LA's dog beaches and just about every dog park. We then headed further south to San Diego and were living in our car. We spent everyday at either Ocean Beach dog beach or Grape Street dog park. Although the living situation was far from perfect, Willow had the ability to make anywhere feel like home. I just so happen to come across information about Willow trees on 2 different hikes with her, Mission Trails Regional Park and Mission Valley YMCA trail. Both in San Diego County but in no way related. They note the strength and flexibility of Willow trees and their ability to provide homes for small animals. The internet says this, “The willow tree gives us hope, a sense of belonging, and safety. Furthermore, the ability to let go of the pain and suffering to grow new, strong and bold. The image of the willow tree is our path to stability, hope, and healing.” I couldn't describe my Willow any better than this, she truly saved and forever changed my life. After discovering she was sick mid March, we drove back to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to stay with family in order to make her more comfortable. She was diagnosed with multicentric lymphoma with para neoplastic hypercalcemia. She was given 1 dose of Elspar and was planning on starting chemo, LOPP protocol 1 week later. On the morning of April 29, 2020, Willow was very lethargic and wouldn't get up to come outside until she saw me through the front door and managed to gain the strength. She made it out to pee but was unable to get back up the porch step. I carried her in and we laid on the couch together. An hour later she took her last breaths right there with her mom, dad, and best bud Riley by her side. We kept telling her to stay strong and she did till the very end. I could not be more proud of her. I currently write this as I make my way back across the country to an unknown location, without my best friend and biggest support. It has been a rough few weeks, searching for a reason why this had to happen. The only thing I can come up with and am told is that it is making me a stronger person. Willow not only blessed me with the strength to cope with the death of my mother and my pap but also her own. She taught me how to let go and keep going. She may not have had a long life but I believe it was a great one, she was happy. Her urn will stay at my dads house for now, as she has had her adventure and it is now time for her to rest. Even in your absence, there is hope my friend. On that Rainbow Bridge we'll meet to love and play again. I look forward to our adventures together in Heaven but for now they must be separate. Have fun running through the meadows and hills with your new friends. Thank you for everything, I love you always, my precious Willow

Nellie Belle Sarp was born March 6, 2006. We took her from a very sad place living in a dog house with her sweet mother who was also named Nellie. It was a cold rainy April day and she was only 6 weeks old. There was an immediate attachment between her and our beloved Maisie who passed a little over 2 years ago. Nellie was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in August 2019 and lived twice as long as the vet thought she would.  Nellie grew up with our children and was simply a part of the pack. She was a relatively quiet dog, sweet, gentle, and loving. She was a border collie mix and her herding instincts kicked in one summer when we had 2 mallard ducklings. It was hilarious to watch her every day working tenaciously to herd these ducklings while not injuring them in any way. This is just one of the many sweet memories we have of our Nellie. We will miss her little face begging at the dinner table, her excitement when we would arrive home, her snuggles, and her happy rolling on her back! While our hearts ache over the loss of Nellie, we know she has gone over the Rainbow Bridge with Maisie and all of our other beloved pets. Until we meet again Nellie, you will remain our hearts forever.!

Our baby Frankie, you were our best friend and best puppy ever. The two years we had with you were the best and you gave us so many good memories. We miss you and love you so much Frankie.

Ruby Grace Robbins
April 4, 2004 – April 13, 2020
Our heart, our world. The best big sissy! The toughest dog we know. We miss her so much already including our two other dogs. Ruby was the heart of our amazing “trio.” This is such a HUGE loss. Ruby Grace was deeply loved & will be deeply missed by everyone, even people who said they weren't a “dog person” or “animal person.” Life has gone by so fast with her. I, her mama, had her for 11 years total. My husband, her daddy, had her in his life for a total of 8 years. Ruby was rescued from a puppy mill in Ohio at age 5 then I adopted her from a kill shelter in Indiana County. She was by far one of the best decisions I have ever made! Her Grammy helped adopt her who called her Ruby Lou & her Poppy called her Rubybisscus because she reminded him of a beautiful flower. Who rescued who they always say? She's my rescue story in so many ways. She was my saving grace & always will be. Her purpose here was heaven sent & she surely fulfilled it! We loved taking care of her & she loved being there for us. She gave us so much peace, love, & healing. The connection with her was extra special & she was truly precious. We were definitely meant to be. She was very loyal, beyond selfless, & taught others to love hard. She's our what's shakin' bacon, our ride or die, our baby girl, our best friend, our rubs, & our dare devil. Her daddy called her rub a dub chubs as she surely loved her belly rubs! Ruby girl loved going anywhere with her mama! Our hearts are deeply hurting but her memory will forever live on. Right before she passed, it was pouring down rain, but after that, sunshine came through. We will seek peace & love until we meet again. Ruby Grace was an angel here on Earth & now she is a beautiful angel in Heaven. 

Charlie was a blessing from the first day we rescued him at the shelter, but we quickly realized he had actually rescued us and would change our lives forever. He was the most loving, gentle, nice, cute, silly, and big-hearted dog ever. He was a best friend, brother, furry son, grand-doggy, nephew, and cousin. Some of Charlie’s favorite things were walking at the park, playing with his many toys (especially Pink Piggy and Red Cardinal), chewing bones, shopping trips to PetSmart, swimming, sunbathing on the deck, and hanging out with his family. He loved his vacations to Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Chicago, Ohio, New Jersey, and New York’s Central Park. Charlie had a passion for life and was a fighter to the end. Rest in Peace our good boy with your big brother Midnight in heaven. We love you with all our hearts and we will miss you every day that goes by. Thank you for 11 years of love, hugs, kisses, memories, and being by our sides.

Ollie was our beautiful Russian Blue buddy and one of our best friends.  There are no words (or too many) to describe what a great/unconditional pal he has been and the countless hours of joy he brought to us.  One of our son’s (Bill) surprised us with him and his sister (Jayden) on my birthday in August 2008 when they were less than 2 months old, and he was always a loving family addition throughout his time with us.

Ollie was an indoor boy but he loved to go out with me (retired) to eat grass, watch birds, and enjoy the sun – he always stayed where I could see him and after 10 minutes or so, would allow me to bring him back into the house or come in on his own (walking next to me).  He had an alpha personality with his sister, but was always ‘hanging’ around us and doing something that made us laugh – carrying around household things to get attention, bringing papers to me off my desk, begging for a treat/cheese-its/peanut butter, catching an occasional mouse in the winter, etc, etc, etc.  He would always sleep with us and liked to jump on countertops/tables/into boxes and loved to be petted/scratched – purring the whole time.  The house now feels so empty without him.

Although Ollie was taken from us suddenly (without showing any symptoms), well before his time, and he will miss us; I’m sure his journey to pet heaven was a good one, because he always seemed to embrace a new adventure.  We and his sister will miss/love him for the rest of our lives.  RIP Ollie (6/10/08-8/12/20).

Lars passed away peacefully on Monday, March 2nd after a brief illness. He was approximately 14 years old and a family member for over 7 years.   

Lars came into my life a few months after my mom passed away.  He was a senior cat with a contagious upper respiratory infection at a shelter running out of quarantine space.  I was a recent college graduate who boomeranged back home. Everyone seemed to have moved forward with their lives but I felt stuck and overwhelmingly alone.  Knowing very little about cats, I signed up to foster on a whim. Lars, who went by Snowball at the time, narrowly escaped euthanasia. 

When we were driving home from the shelter Lars put his paw out from the crate that was sitting on the front seat of my car. It was reckless on my part, but I opened the crate.  He walked effortlessly across the center console and sat on my lap purring for the entire ride home. We were best friends ever since. 

Lars was resilient and strong, but equally vulnerable and loving.  He was found on the streets, declawed from his prior owners, scraping for food and covered in fleas.  Although he faced hardship early on, he pushed forward and still had love for the world. He would jump on the lap of a stranger and always enjoyed a nice belly rub.  He rarely left my side through out the day and always slept close to me at night, oftentimes resting his head on my pillow. There were times when his unconditional love felt like the only stability I had as I navigated my way to adulthood. Crossing paths was our lucky break, now I think my mom had a hand in this. 

Lars enjoyed walks through Sewickley. He didn’t care about the occasional glances when neighbors realized what was actually in the stroller. Lars was too busy feeling a fresh breeze on his nose and listening to the buzz of nature. 

When he was not outside Lars enjoyed watching Birds and Squirrel videos on TV, playing with string, listening to NPR, taking warm catnip infused bubble baths and napping in the sun.  Lars tolerated dressing up for holidays but drew the line at the groomer. I’m fact he had a spunky side and got kicked of 3 local salons in his lifetime. 

In the same token, Lars was not found of the vet, but we were lucky enough to have some of the best veterinary professionals by our side. 

Lars was loved by many, especially people who thought they weren’t cat people. He formed a special bond with my dad who still loved Lars despite the fact Lars peed on his bed and came into his home unannounced.  Lars also enjoyed watching sports and reviewing collegiate football film with his dear friend, Vince. Vince made sure Lars was always cared for, all the way up through his final days. 

After he passed, Lars’s body was donated to PVSEC for surgical training. It is our hope that this hands on experience helps veterinary residents navigate challenging surgeries with ease.  

IN LOVING MEMORY OF LOUIS VUITTON. Louis passed away on Sunday March 1, 2020 at Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center after suffering from congestive heart failure. 

Louis was born in Pittsburgh, PA on March 15, 2005. His father was unknown. His mother was a stray cat taken in by a co-worker and friend of mine. Louis was the runt of the liter out of his five brothers and sisters. He also lived in Erie, PA for a few years. 

Louis was adopted at 8 weeks olds and immediately became my fur baby. He was so tiny I had to keep a bell on his collar to be able to find him. He was very playful and mischievous as a kitten. He was much better at climbing than he was at jumping. Once, he climbed to the top of an area rug rolled up in the corner and fell asleep. He became even more energetic in the following years. He would pound on the closet doors until you woke up and fed him. He did not slow down until nearly the end. 

Louis was very passionate about his sleeping spots, in the bath tub, the sink, inside the dresser drawer, under his blanket, next to his giant Eeyore, or on top of my head. He could always find the one sun spot in the house and would lay upside down in it. He would show off my standing on his hind legs. He was spoiled with only filtered drinking water or better yet, the water from my drinking glass. He only recently enjoyed Almond milk, catnip and ice cream. Although, his favorite treat was shrimp. He would’ve eaten the flowers had he been allowed. He had his favorite toy plush dog, maybe because the bell reminded him of his baby collar. He carried the dog around with him everywhere and seemed to share his food, sleeping spots and even his travels with. He loved having his beautiful long fur brushed. He was happy to go outside and lay on a porch but never strayed away. He did well in the car as he traveled since he was a baby. He was very receptive to pet sitting in the past few years with other dogs and cats and had even made a few friends he will miss. 

Louis outgrew a heart murmur he was born with. He successfully lived with diabetes for the past five and half years being insulin dependent. He was very strong cat and lived a long and happy life. He had his toy dog and his blanket with him at the end. I stayed by his side and remained with him even after he was gone. Louis will be forever missed and loved dearly. 

Thank you to Dr. Claudio Lagao for making Louis as comfortable as he could be until his passing. Also, to the staff at Green Pet Funeral Home and Crematory for showing Louis the respect he deserved. 

RIP Louis Vuitton  [❤] ️

On February 23rd we lost one of the best dogs we've ever had. Butters was a senior dog that we adopted but he never acted like one. His favorite things were ripping the squeaker out of his toys and playing with his ball. He will be deeply missed by all that knew him.
 

Ms. Cassia was born January 30, 2013.  She brought love and joy to her family for seven years.  Smart, mischievous, lively, and loving, giving many kisses and hugs, and loved belly rubs. She and her sister from the same litter were inseparable, loved to play together and were true soul mates, as long as she was the boss. Cassia was a master of the side eye and would not hesitate to use it when she felt the need.  She enjoyed barking at cats, cars, ups trucks and anyone walking near her yard.  Cassia will be missed by many, but none more than her mom. Cassia leaves behind a sister Aura, her aunt Diann, and her mom. Please give your dog extra hugs, treats and belly rubs.