Loving Memories
All of our pets hold a special place in our heart! It is always heart breaking to see a loved pet go. Your pets are a part of our family.This is a place to remember them.
Annie
Dear Sandy, Brittany, and Hannah,Thanks so much for your sweet note about our Annie.
You knew her so well, and we wanted to tell you how much we appreciate your taking such good care of her when we've been out of town. You were so willing to step up as she got older and we needed to accommodate more of her food and water "quirks" as she lost most of her vision. She really thrived on the love and attention you gave her when you visited.
You're special to us, and you'll always be in our hearts.
Sincerely, Pam and Ed
Beethovan
Dear Family and Friends,It has taken me awhile to compose myself so that I might write this email. Many of you already know, I had to help usher my precious Beethoven to that rainbow bridge. He was diagnosed with lymphoma and by that time it was too aggressive to fight.
As in all of his life, he remained so trusting and so sweet, I knew I had to make that agonizing decision to let him go. That big, loving, deaf, black dog was a rock for me through most of the loss I have experienced in this life: Ben, Julie, Phoebe, John and then Cowboy. So, this isn’t a page that turns but the final chapter of a poignant book that has closed, a book filled with so much love and also loss—a book I would not trade for anything because it contains the stuff of life that has etched itself on my heart, the lessons that have filled my soul, the impressions that have been left by all of the angels that have graced my life and then moved on into other dimensions. I will forever be grateful to have known and loved and been loved by such a gentle spirit.
He was my constant watcher and protector. I wound up adopting a deaf dog whose other “hearing” was better on so many levels than ours. I remember the overcrowded shelter with dogs barking and screeching and cowering from all of the noise. I put the collar and leash on that little pup and he pranced out of the kennel and down the long hallway to the front desk, oblivious to the chaos around him and unafraid with head held high and tail bobbing up and down. He was such a brave and forward little guy. I’m pretty sure it was then that he stole my heart. On the drive home, I came to my senses and wondered what on earth I was going to do with a deaf puppy. It took a couple of trainers and hours upon hours of work (and an entire village of friends) but Beethoven eventually became one of the best dogs I have ever known. And, I’m pretty sure he trained me to his liking.
He looked to Phoebe for his cues and she became his external ears but he had an inner sense that was so highly developed, he blew us away with his awareness of what was happening around him and his ability to predict when I was about to return home. One of Beethoven’s favorite things to do was to plague Leslie when she was out front tending to the flower gardens. He would steal her gloves and tools out of the bucket and snatch the flower flats she was trying to plant. But, she told me she always knew when I was nearby because he would abruptly stop all of his shenanigans and go to the edge of the sculpture garden near the curve in the road and just sit. Within minutes, I would pull into the driveway as my happy pup ran in circles. On nights when I was out, often John would come to sit with the Phoebe and Beethoven. He would be reading a book or newspaper with Beethoven sleeping soundly at his feet. All of a sudden, Beethoven would spring up and run to the back of the house. When I opened the door from the garage, there was my wagging, circling dog. John said that was how he knew I was not far off.
As most of you know, after Beethoven lost Ben, he became quite bonded to John. John would often pick him up and let him ride shotgun in the Toyota truck as he went about his maintenance chores on the property. It was always a joy to watch Beethoven pump his tail up and down and crook his head at you as he realized he was about to get a day pass to go off with his pal. And it wasn’t just Beethoven, but all the dogs loved our John.
I called Jasper Animal Hospital to make the appointment for Tuesday. The day before we took Beethoven in, all of Erin’s dogs rushed to the front window of her apartment and started wagging and squealing. Erin peered out, assuming Eric had come home early, only to see nothing. The dogs kept insisting that someone was there and Erin smiled to herself realizing that it was John. The morning we loaded Beethoven into my car, Ellen (my sister-in-law) and I climbed into the front seats and closed the doors. My nostrils were assaulted with the strong smell of cigarette smoke in the car (a first) and I wheeled to look at Ellen and ask her if she smelled it also. She answered in the affirmative and I was suddenly struck by the realization that John was indeed here to take our sweet Beethoven home across that bridge. As bereft as I was, through my tears I felt relief that Beethoven was going to be in those loving hands. The smell of cigarette smoke has faded but the knowledge that our beautiful loved ones are only gone in the flesh has not. Now my boy has his wings and I feel lucky to have another angel guardian nearby. As Erin has said, whenever the geese fly by overhead, we will know Beethoven is here chasing them off his beloved farm. And though my heart aches now, I will be comforted by the many memories of that special little guy who became one of my best friends for 11 years and brought more joy than I can ever repay.
Beethoven, I love you. Sweet dreams little man and sail on.
Love, Sue
I called Jasper Animal Hospital to make the appointment for Tuesday. The day before we took Beethoven in, all of Erin’s dogs rushed to the front window of her apartment and started wagging and squealing. Erin peered out, assuming Eric had come home early, only to see nothing. The dogs kept insisting that someone was there and Erin smiled to herself realizing that it was John. The morning we loaded Beethoven into my car, Ellen (my sister-in-law) and I climbed into the front seats and closed the doors. My nostrils were assaulted with the strong smell of cigarette smoke in the car (a first) and I wheeled to look at Ellen and ask her if she smelled it also. She answered in the affirmative and I was suddenly struck by the realization that John was indeed here to take our sweet Beethoven home across that bridge. As bereft as I was, through my tears I felt relief that Beethoven was going to be in those loving hands. The smell of cigarette smoke has faded but the knowledge that our beautiful loved ones are only gone in the flesh has not. Now my boy has his wings and I feel lucky to have another angel guardian nearby. As Erin has said, whenever the geese fly by overhead, we will know Beethoven is here chasing them off his beloved farm. And though my heart aches now, I will be comforted by the many memories of that special little guy who became one of my best friends for 11 years and brought more joy than I can ever repay.
Beethoven, I love you. Sweet dreams little man and sail on.
Love, Sue
Teddy
Our beloved Teddy passed away on September 20th, 2016, after 16 wonderful years of companionship. He lived a long life and joins Potsy and Nikki in heaven. We will miss all our hikes with him. We took him to Mt. Lemmon, Catalina State Park, Sedona and other parks. He loved hiking with his backpack on and he looked forward to going for a ride. We will miss him dearly and now he is running around in heaven again!Monte
Monte had a long life and his family misses him deeply. He was wonderful to take care of and a very happy dog enjoying his pets and being talked to when we would come to visit.Tam
Tam kitty lived a long life and will be missed by his family and Nancy Jean. He will be missed by all. Such a sweet cat and it was nice to be able to take care of him in his last year.Selena
Selena will be dearly missed by her family. She was a sweet cat that enjoyed playing hide and seek.Georgia
Sweet Georgia will be missed by all of us at Paws n' Critters. She has been with us a long time and Mimi and Rick will miss her dearly. A few sitters got the opportunity to take care of her throughout the years. She was a sweet girl.Tootsie
Tootsie was a rescue pug that had a long wonderful life with her owners. She lived a long life and will be missed by all of us. Tootsie si with Slick and Gypsy once again!Nicky
Panzi
Turbo
Clementine
Ghita
Tybee
Wesley
Sophie
Gypsy
Gypsy lived a long life and will be missed by everyone. She always enjoyed getting her treats and that was the only time she would like you pet her head. She was a beautiful kitty and she will be missed by her family.Cleo
Cleo was a little petite kitty that was so precious. She enjoyed cuddling, pets and just sitting next to you when you would come over. She will be missed by Gunther and Moose and of course her Mom, who misses her dearly.Max
Max was a cool cat. He was a big long hair cat that just enjoyed hanging out with people and playing with toys. He was always there at your feet and followed you around the house. He will be missed.Augustus
A beautiful orange and white tabby who enjoyed his 9 brothers. Augustus was saved by his owners and they had him for several years until he passed. Augustus will be missed by all of us.Raif
Raif will be missed by his buddies Billy Jiggs and Noo Noo. Raif was a cattle dog that had tons of energy and enjoyed playing with his best bud Billy Jiggs.Rayna
Rayna was a sweet and shy kitty. She is missed by her family and Moses.Tazor
Tazor, a Jack Russell terrier, had a long life of 14 years and enjoyed his family and walks with Jack. He will be missed by everyone.Smokey
Smokey is so dearly missed by her playmate Bianca. They would always curl up together and hang out. Smokey is greatly missed by everyone, he was a lovely cat inside and out with so many special memories!Katie
Katie was a 14 year old Chow Mix dog that had a long life and is missed by her entire family.Buster
Buster a beautiful tuxedo cat was about 20 years old when he passed away. He enjoyed his scratches and attention that he got and will be missed by everyone.Trapper
Trapper was an orange tabby cat that was very shy, but loved attention when he was ready.Rocky
Rocky, a cute little Shitzu Yorkie that enjoyed walking with his buddy Powder. He will be missed by his family.Chester
Chester cat was a beautiful male tabby. He loved to eat! His end was sudden....he is dearly missed by his family.Leah
We didn't have much time to get to know Leah, she loved people and her life was cut short by cancer. We all miss you Leah!George
George was a siamese cat that really enjoyed being cuddled. He would lay in your arms and sit on your chest and purrrrr away! We will miss you George!Penny
Penny loved talking up a storm when we came to visit her. She enjoyed lots of pets and chin rubs. I always enjoyed coming over to have a conversation with her, she always had something to say about the dog! lol I miss her!Carson
He was a great dog and enjoyed his walks. Carson was such a good looking dog and had a Teddy Bear cut we always got comments on our walks about how cute he was! Carson will be missed by his family, Cooper and by us!Rocket
From Peggy: My oldest meow, Rocket, who shared our lives for 15 years (and was not a kitten when we adopted him!) crossed the proverbial Rainbow Bridge yesterday afternoon with loving help from our wonderful vet, who came with a memorial candle and pet grief book. She helped me bury him near some of Richard's ashes in our garden - he was Richard's "cat hat," sleeping on his pillow each night. He's featured in many a JibJab card over the years: on to new adventures now. Sleep well, gentle boy. We will miss him! He was certainly a gentle boy! Rest in peace.Zoe
Zoe was a cat that enjoyed the house to herself (loved being the only pet) and her people friends. She was a very friendly cat that loved curling up in a ball and getting belly rubs and brushing. She enjoyed chin rubs too! She will be missed by all of us.Sunny
Sunny will be missed by his family. He had a long life and Marley and his family will miss him dearly. He enjoyed all his stuffed pets and enjoyed carrying them around with him wherever he went. Sunny was 14 years old when he passed away from old age.Little Bit
Little Bit was just a baby when Al found him. He fit in the palm of his hand so Al called him “Little Bit” and it stuck. He grew into a handsome cat, relaxed and loving. He enjoyed outdoor adventures and lounging in the master bed. He loved his treats. He had diabetes in his later years and was always a trooper about getting his shots. He will be missed by Al and Connie, and his feline family Mokie, Cutie, Dolly Dolly and Baby Cakes.Tuffy
Tuffy a Persian cat, hung out and played together all the time with his sister Pearl. Pearl and his dad miss him dearly...we all miss Tuffy's purrs and cuddles! Rest is peace sweet Tuffy.Texas
We recently said good-bye to our sweet Boxer mix, Texas. Anyone that has been around our family in the last twelve years, knows what a significant part of our lives she was. She just wasn't a dog, she was a fur member of our family. True to her nature, she had her red ball and signature butt wiggle until the end. She just could no longer fight the aggressive cancerous tumor. We know that she is playing fetch just over the Rainbow Bridge. We are so thankful that Sandy and her team loved and took such amazing care of her when weren't home to do so.Kaybee: International Cat of Mystery
In her younger years she was a true adventurer. She was known to take week long solo vacations when the pampered life became too mundane for her. She would always return to her distraught family though, ready for canned tuna and lazy naps in the hammock. Her favorite activities were catching vermin, eating as much as she could get away with and sleeping on fluffy beds. My most distinct memory of Kaybee is while living in Charleston , SC, she managed to catch a live bat and bring it in the house as a gift. She was considerate like that. She lived a long, happy 18 years and I’ll always cherish the adventures we shared together. She was a kindred spirit and a truly amazing cat and friend!Cowboy
Dearest Family and Friends,This morning at about 10:30 (June 8, 2014), my precious Cowboy took wing. He is now whole, romping through fields of flowers (off leash), no more suffering and loving life as he always has. He has new friends: Levi, Phoebe, Sofie, and Faust just to name a few. And he is being watched over by Julie, John and Ben. I let them know he was coming their way. As you all know, in his earth time, Cowboy had many physical challenges and he fought through them valiantly and won. Such a wonderful life with so many friends, walks around his beloved farm every day, and all the people who loved him. After all, it really did take a village to nurture this sweet boy.
I will always be grateful to this precious old soul for coming into my life; we actually rescued one another and I’m sure our journey will continue. There is a huge hole in our home and my heart right now that will take awhile to heal, but I know in time that will be supplanted by all of the wonderful memories of him and the knowledge that he is now one of my guardian angels. From the instant I met him and those big, limpid eyes looked straight up at me, I was hooked. He was my “heart” dog.
I am grateful to the wonderful team of veterinarians and nurses who tried with such compassion to restore his balance. But, this was a bigger hill than he could climb and I know without a doubt that I made the right decision to let him go. I loved him too much to ask him to soldier on. A special thanks to Carol who sat with Cowboy and me last night and to Erin, Eric, Jillian and Eileen, who were there with me to kiss him goodbye and set his spirit free.
And I am grateful to all of you who loved him, helped care for him, and supported both of us in our years together. Such a lucky boy. In the end, it is all good and these four-legged, heaven-sent emissaries give so much more than they ever ask for in return. No wonder our bonds with them are so strong. They set the bar pretty high for us to follow. Love unconditionally with gay abandon, never complain, start every day expecting it will be the best one ever and be in the moment. Take a nap and start over. That about sums it up.
Thank you all and love,
-- Sue
And I am grateful to all of you who loved him, helped care for him, and supported both of us in our years together. Such a lucky boy. In the end, it is all good and these four-legged, heaven-sent emissaries give so much more than they ever ask for in return. No wonder our bonds with them are so strong. They set the bar pretty high for us to follow. Love unconditionally with gay abandon, never complain, start every day expecting it will be the best one ever and be in the moment. Take a nap and start over. That about sums it up.
Thank you all and love,
-- Sue
Tucker
Tucker was 13 when he crossed the Rainbow Bridge with the help of Dr. Heather Connolly at the Veterinary Specialty Center, after an ultrasound showed sad surprise of metastatic pancreatic cancer. Despite his diabetes, he was active and enjoying life until the last few days, head-bumping us and defending the top shelf of the kitty condo against all comers.Odie
Odie was all Lab and never met a ball or body of water she didn't love. She had an unparalleled passion for . . . Well, for everything She did.Nikki
Our beautiful Nikki passed away from Rectal and Bone Cancer. She is missed everyday. She left behind her companions Potsy and Teddy. We miss her at home. We miss hunting for our shoes. She used to take them all over the place, making us hunt for our pair from one room or another. Nikki loved going on walks, which was becoming difficult at the end. She had a full life ... we all love her and miss her!Boxer
He lived a full long life...he went off to kitty heaven this past summer of 2011. He is dearly loved and will be missed by his 5 brothers, Rocket, Valentino, Tucker, Donald and Opus and his sister Tawny.Tawny
She was the only female of 7 and enjoyed being spoiled along with Boxer. She was shy...she passed away right after Boxer this summer of 2011.Cosmo
The Gentle Great Dane. Cosmo was always a puppy at heart! He lived a good long life and was dearly loved. He especially enjoyed being chased! He passed away early fall of 2011.Hans & Shiloh
Both lived long and full lives. They enjoyed every moment of it and were pampered in style!Jasmine
She lived a short life and was taken away by an illness. She had lots of energy and was fun to take care of!Skeeters
Skeeters is missed by Baby, Jesse, Monkejeen and Pinkelpurr!The house doesn’t seem the same without this little guy. Skeeters was 17 when he passed away. He lived a long life! We will miss him....I will miss sharing my morning coffee with him. He always liked licking the cream cups!
Obadiah
Obadiah spent his childhood and much of his adult life in Ankeny, Iowa. He graduated from the Dog Academy before the age of one. He went on to pursue a career in . . . well, he stayed productive and out of trouble until his retirement in Arizona where he continued these adult interests. He never bit anyone and never destroyed anything of value. He never met anybody he didn’t like. He never declined a treat. He attempted suicide by chocolate a couple of times but survived. He credited two things for his survival to 97 in dog years in a recent interview; he took life at his pace and he moved to a warm climate upon retirement. He is survived by a whole host of people that loved him. He asked that no memorials should be sent because they would be frittered away by his parents.Sleep in peace, Obi. We’ll miss you.
Mimi
She was taken away from outside her home. She was a princess and a social butterfly. She ruled the house of cats and dogs...she was always the center of attention and was a loving cat.Little Girl
She never came home one night.....we just hope that someone took her in! She was a snuggle bug! She was one of Brittany’s many pets!Darby
Passed away this July 2012. Darby was 15 and will be missed by his family and Kuma misses Darby most of all, he doesn’t have his best friend anymore. Darby lived a long full life.Dakota
Passed away this summer, 2012. He had a long battle with cancer. He will be missed by Texas and Penny, but most of all by his family who had him since he was a puppy. Dakota was 14 years old.Champ
She was one of a kind. Anyone who met her loved her! She was sweet, gentle and loyal and will be missed forever. She was 13 when she passed away. She had a full life!Tuffy
Passed away Dec 2012. Tuffy was 14 years old when he passed away. Munchkin and Monroe will miss him dearly. Tuffy was a very calm and gentle cat and he grew up with his mom since he was a little kitten.Buddie and Santiago
Buddie's birthday was April 10th, his age was around 14 years or older. He went to the Rainbow Bridge on April 20th, 2013. "Buddie Boo" was my nephew Josh's dog, but Buddie was all of ours too. Of all the dogs we've had, he was the sweetest, happiest dog.His brother, Santiago joined him in Heaven shortly after. Santi loved his balls so much, we just know he’s romping through a field of balls with Buddie.
We love and miss you both so much Buddie Boo & Santi. Josh, Becky, Diane
Sassy
Sassy: much loved, tremendously missed. She was sweet, naughty, nosy, selfish with her toys, beautiful, independent, and perfect. We were lucky to share her life for 12 1/2 years.Louie
Louie was with their family for over 18 years. He was a special cat and was so dearly loved by all. He will be missed, he passed away on March 3, 2015.Amy
Amy was a great friend for 17 years with Tony. She will be missed by Sweetie Pie. This picture shown is a picture of Amy (left) with her playmate, Sweetie Pie (right). She held a special place in all of our hearts.Wallace
Wallace was a wonderful little Cairn Terrier that enjoyed scouting his yard for anything that came in. He will be missed by his 3 buddies and his family.Teddy
Teddy was a companion for over 12 years to his family. He was a beautiful kitty that always loved to chirp and look at the window while being brushed. He has a happy cat that had a wonderful life.Precious & Sammie
Sammie was a gentle, loving soul. His eyes were so blue they would make your heart melt. Towards the end of his life he was sick with no cure, and was loved to the very last second of his time on earth. He was very special to me and his loving owners, he is missed and always thought of.
Precious was a shy, but loving and appreciative soul. She needed to get to know you before she could trust you, but when she did, she enjoyed just having her neck rubbed, going on her walks, and having the cats love on her. When her parents were away, and it was just her, the cats and I, Sammie would love on her and rub up against her to show her she wasn't alone and that she was loved.
It was really great to see the two of them interact and to get to take care of them. They are missed everyday.
It was really great to see the two of them interact and to get to take care of them. They are missed everyday.
Potsy
Potsy was our precious boy who went to heaven to meet Nikki and romp around on the grass. He used to love to nip her neck and hang on to it gently, I’m sure he’s back to doing that again!I love the little guy, the house is not the same without him, it seems like everything and everyone rotated around this little man. I missed cuddling with you last night, and will miss it every night now.
We now only have Teddy left...he will miss you!
Roscoe
Roscoe had a long wonderful life. A wonderful Yellow Lab that enjoyed getting attention and love all the time. He has left his buddy Bear behind. His family will miss Roscoe very much.Gonzo
Gonzo, a little black and white Shi-tzu enjoyed his walks and looked forward to them. He would bounce merrily around the block and was always excited when we brought out the leash. He had a good life with his family and was a trooper to the end of his illness. Gonzo is running around wonderfully on all paws now!General
General a wonderful 10 year old Black Lab was a sweet as could be. He loved to counter surf for anything he could possibly find, always trying to catch you off your guard. He will be missed by his mom and Maxwell. Rest in peace, sweet General.Mocha
Loved to chase lizards and play with balls. She was 15 when she passed away, she was a precious kitty and sister of Sassy a little Pom Dog!Bear
A beautiful white Cat was 10 years old when he passed away. Oreo will miss him very much as they were playmates. He loved chasing shoelaces and laser lights. He loved everyone so much!Jade
A beautiful little Tortie cat, she will be missed by her playmates, Konan, Polly and Misha.Ellie
A Sable Sheltie and was Tipper’s best friend. She lived a long life of 11 years. Her other buddies will miss her too...Nikko, Hannah and Frankie.Cinder
Cinder was 14 year old Pomeranian when she passed away. She had a wonderful long life and left behind her sister Sheba who misses her very much.Isabel & Mozzart
Passed away at 14 years old of this year, 2014. Isabel was one of our first customers, she holds a special place in our hearts. We will miss her so much, we really enjoyed taking care of her and playing with her. She will be joining her long time buddy Mozzart in heaven. Sasha has 2 guardian angels now looking out after her!Sashi
Sashi passed away this January 2014. She was such a cuddle bug and enjoyed having her tummy and chin scratched. She was a companion of Tao, a little Shitzu…she will be missed most dearly. We enjoyed our time with her…she was a sweet cat!Charlie
Charlie was born in MA on March 8th 2000. He would have been 14 years old on March 8th of this year. Charlie loved life and fought very hard to survived when he was attacked by coyotes on November 23, 2013. He was a happy, healthy and devoted companion for his owner and his best “pal” ‘Scout’, who joined the household as a puppy to play with Charlie and the cats. Over time, Scout and Charlie developed a “doggie dance” routine for fun and exercise that was fascinating to watch and unusually clever! He is still very much missed by all of us.Dusty
It is with a heavy heart that I must share the sad news that my beautiful Dusty boy has left and gone to Heaven. I have been so blessed to have had such a wonderful and loving dog. He was my loyal companion, my best friend, and my protector, never letting me out of his sight. Dusty touched a lot of hearts throughout his journeys and he made me a better human being. He will always be in my heart and watching over me from up above.--Lou, March 7, 2014
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog.
You are his life, his love, his leader.
He will be yours, faithful and true,
To the last beat of his heart.
You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
Author Unknown