My husband and I have been fortunate, we have not experienced many losses of loved ones. Growing up, we both had pets; I mostly had fish, while Shaun had a plethora of animals: guinea pigs, hamsters, dogs, birds and cats. I have allergies and asthma, which made finding a pet that I didn’t have an allergic reaction with more difficult. As well, I was quite busy with sports, making it unfair to have a pet as myself and my parents were not home a lot. Nevertheless, I longed for a pet. I asked for a dog for many years and of course as a kid, you don’t realize the financial responsibility or undertaking of owning one. My parents would explain the duties and responsibilities that came along with a dog and I would eagerly listen and accept everything they were telling me; I even went out and picked up raccoon poop in our backyard to show my dedication!
At 16, I was home a lot more and my parents decided it was finally the right time to get a dog. In September of 2009, Kali came home with us. Kali had (and still has), a lot of energy! She is a labradoodle. A spunky, determined and resilient girl with a lot of love to give. Her and I were inseparable. I would take her on runs, road trips and to the pet store to pick out toys. I will always be her girl.
When I moved out in 2015 (and into a place with my now-husband), Kali stayed with my parents as she has a strong bond with them as well. I would still take her on walks and visit her every couple of days. But, I missed having a pet to come home to. Having an animal (in my opinion), truly brightens your life. Their love for you is unconditional and their simple gestures can turn a bad day into a better one. Shaun and I got a hedgehog not long after we moved in together. He was a feisty little guy. He was hilarious to watch and loved to run on his wheel and get up to mischief anywhere he could run to. His name was Thor and while he was quite fun, hedgehogs are not very affectionate.
Shaun loves cats, he has since he was a child and he would tell me all about the cat he had growing up – Chelsea – and their relationship. I, on the other hand, did not like cats. Because of my allergies growing up, I was not around cats. I looked after a cat for a neighbour once and it bit and scratched me; ever since, I was a little hesitant around them. Despite all that, cats are more independent than dogs and less high maintenance (in most cases). As I grew older, my allergies and asthma got better; and in 2016, Belle came into our lives. The first time I held her she purred and gave me a kiss. She seemed to never stop purring around Shaun and I. She was a beautiful black cat, who had so much love to give, but struggled with anxiety and loud sounds. A lot of things scared her: the vacuum, outside, loud cars, people coming to our house other than my husband and I, etc. Regardless, she showered us with purrs, kisses and love. She loved to run around the house, jump up on the counters to try and steal food and jump out at you from random spots around the house.
When we welcomed our son, Jaiden in June, I was skeptical as to how Belle would react. She ruled the house. She was a pampered princess and I was unsure as to how she would feel. We introduced them slowly – she was actually scared of him at first, but gradually she came around and wanted to be near him more and more. She gave him kisses, rubbed herself on him and would try to steal his toys. Because Jaiden wakes up throughout the night, I sleep in the spare room to allow my husband to sleep so that he can go to work fully rested. Belle would usually join me in the spare room and sleep beside my head on a pillow, purring away endlessly. As Jaiden started to crawl, his mission was to get to Belle, wherever she seemed to be! She was so patient with him. Even though he tugged on her a bit, she would roll onto her back and display her tummy for him to pet.
Unfortunately, on Tuesday, I awoke in the early morning hours to Belle in distress. I ran her into our bedroom and Shaun and I tried everything we could, but she passed away within a couple of minutes. She would have been 5 in April. A couple years ago, we learned that she had a heart murmur. The vet said they would keep an eye on it, but she was never put on medication or displayed signs that she had issues. She was very skittish, had anxiety and her breathing was also on the faster side. We took her in frequently for vet appointments and examinations, but nothing out of the ordinary (aside from her heart murmur and sometimes rapid breathing) was found. Her last veterinary appointment was in November and she was given her shots to stay up to date on everything and we brought her home.
Nothing can prepare you for the loss of a pet or loved one. The fact that it was so sudden has left us in shock and we are still processing it. As awful as her passing was, I am grateful I woke up and my husband and I were with her. She passed away in her home, a place where she felt safe and was showered with endless love. She knew she was deeply cared for. Animals truly are man’s best friend. They are loyal, compassionate and show a love deeper than you can comprehend. I am thankful Belle was in our lives, even though it was only for a short time. She has left lasting paw prints on our hearts and her ashes are now in our living room, so that she can watch over us and see her best friend Jaiden grow up.
