Everyone adopts for a different reason whether it be to fill the emptiness of a new apartment, brighten a bad day for your child, or fill a void in your heart left behind by the death of a childhood pet or family member, as I would say. When you walk into a shelter to adopt a dog, no one tells you about the attachment that will come along with that adoption.

In my family, as well as many others, pets are not just pets. They are as much of the family as your brother, sister, mother or father. You set aside time in your day to make sure they get enough exercise, look out for special treats or toys for them when you’re at the grocery store, or in my family's case, set them a spot at the Thanksgiving dinner table. You give them the world and in return they give you the purest love and affection; much more than you will ever receive from any human. The tail wags when you get home, endless licks when you’re sad, and cuddles in the morning are all things we take advantage of when we have our dogs near. That is until that heartbreaking day when you lose your best friend.

That’s the problem with dogs. They live approximately a sixth of your life; and that’s if you’re lucky. About a year and a half ago, I lost my two best friends in the matter of a month. These were by far two of the worst days of my short life. When you’re someone like me who views your pets as much more than just pets, losing this member of your family is heart wrenching and life changing. It has been a year and a half, with three new dogs in the family, and I still get a pit in my throat every time I think about my two childhood best friends. Sometimes the thought of them even sends a tear down my cheek.

To Eve and Jessie; my former confidants, cuddlers, and best friends,

Thank you for showing me the purest form of love from such a young age. Thank you for always being excited to see me and greeting me at home before anyone else ever would. Thank you for licking tears off of my face when no one else was around to comfort me. Thank you for always giving me a good laugh from you secretly stealing food off my plate or watching you dig at the water in the creek. While all that is left of you is some ashes and your collar hanging on the wall, I know someday I will be throwing rocks in a creek and cuddling with you again.I promise no dog will ever be able to replace you in my heart. You were by far two of the most special souls I will ever have the honor of knowing. I hope doggie heaven is treating you with an endless supply of rocks to play with and McDonald’s cheeseburgers to steal.

I love you and I always will,

Maggie