This is the story of a beautiful Cock-a-poo named
Belle, or Boo, as our sons called her. We adopted Boo from Cascades Humane Society in May, 1986 at the age of 18 months. Boo was a part of our family for 18 wonderful years. Boo and our orange domestic tiger kitten, Mr. Petty became fast friends and remained so until Mr. Petty was laid to rest on August 21, 2000 at the approximate age of 18 yrs., as he came to us as an orphan, having been found by our daughter-in-law, wandering among the garbage after a race at
Michigan International Speedway.
Belle and Mr. Petty were friends right to the end. We adopted Belle when our youngest son, Jeff, was a senior in high school. Belle went everywhere with us, canoing, camping, traveling out of state to Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois when my husband was building gas stations. We were gone from home, on these out of state jobs for up to 3 months at a time, and lived in our 30 ft. 5th wheel, and Belle and Mr. Petty were our constant companions and loving friends. Of course, Mr. Petty did not go canoing, as he hated the water, so he stayed
at home with a sitter.
Belle has been canoing on many rivers here in Michigan, and camping at many, many campgrounds. We would put a sleeping bag in the bottom of the canoe for her, along with her water dish. She had her own life jacket in case we tipped over, and also had her own umbrella that fastened to the side of the canoe to keep her shaded and comfy. Belle loved everyone, and everyone loved her. I don’t believe she ever met anyone that she did not like. She also got
along famously with other dogs and cats.
Belle did not like going to the vet. She would begin shaking the minute we pulled into the park-ing lot. She did not like shots, but she took them like the trooper she was. Everyone at our vet’s office loved Belle,and treated her as if she were their own pet. When our grandson, Nathan, lived with us, Belle would wait patiently every day, either standing in the hallway or lying in the living room staring at the back door, waiting for Nathan and her “Dad” to get home from work. Nathan loved Belle as much as we did, and he always spent at least 15 minutes with his arm around her, talking to her before he would even take his shower.
In the last year or so, cataracts took over and she eventually became blind, she couldn’t hear and she was beginning to have incontinence most of the time and arthritis was taking its toll. I took her outside 6 or 7 times a day for a potty break and to let her smell around the yard. We took a comforter and made her a nice comfy bed in our bedroom next to our bed, so I could be near her and take care of her.
She had dropped gradually over the past year from about 30 lbs. to l8 to 20 lbs. She wasn’t happy anymore, and she looked so very, very sad and didn’t eat enough any more to sustain her weight. She also had two really bad seizures, one in April and one in June. They really took a toll on her aging body. On June 22, 2004 we had our beautfull Belle put to sleep, as we felt that was the last loving thing we could do for her. We had her cremated and her ashes are in a small Oak tower urn, which has her picture on it, and a gold engraved plate that reads:
BELLE
Adopted 1986 – 2004
Boo, you will remain in our hearts forever.
We know that she will be with us always and that when we meet her again at the Rainbow Bridge, that she will be a happy, healthy, carefree puppy and will be waiting anxiously to greet us. Belle will be loved and remainin our hearts for-ever.
She will never be forgotten or cannot be replaced.
We Love You Belle,
| Belle |
| Richard & Betty Shaw |