Darla Goes to the Rainbow Bridge

 

I wanted you all to meet Darla.  She was our first BT.  She came to us at 5 weeks old and a whopping 1 lb.  we took her to work with us everyday. She occupied the bottom draw at the office!  Lol.  I converted it into a comfortable,little doggy bed for her.  My husband did the same and would smuggle her in tucked in his shirt.  She grew to be strong, smart and wonderfully comical!   We did agility together and covered miles and miles of state parks and riding trails.  Darla became a certified therapy dog and touched the lives of many.  I watched in awe as she lay with the terminally ill,  brought smiles to those without hope,  romped with foster children, and comforted  friends and relatives waiting for news of loved ones with uncertain outcomes.    She worked as a reading therapy dog in a number of school programs. Always patient with the challenged,  encouraging to the fearful ones,  and always their cheerleader!  As the years flew by and more and more BTS found their way through our doors, Darla was there to meet and greet and teach them them the ropes.  She's been one of the lucky ones.   She's only known one home and one family.  Never had a hand raised in anger toward her, and has been love and respected all her entire life.     My world has come crashing down and the void will be huge.  She's has been with me or 13 years.

 

Judy Wade

 

As Sara McLaughlin writes, “Mheart is breaking for you.  What a wonderful story of her life you have written.  She has been an unbelievably lucky puppy and she is very lucky to have you at a time like this to be with her and assure her there is nothing to be scared of.

She knows she is loved.”

 

Erin Sullivan writes, “What a wonderful and touching story. You are so lucky to have had each other all these years, though I am sure it will never feel long enough. How fortunate for her that she has a family to love her all the way to the end, and cares enough to send her off with dignity. She is dmmost certainly one of the lucky ones. Hang in there, I know it is never easy, but know that she had the best life a dog could ask for, and it sure sounds like she wouldn't have changed one thing about it if you could ask her. I'll be thinking about you and your family. Thanks for sharing this difficult and sad but beautiful part of your life with us. It is always heartening to hear there are people like you out there.”

My heart goes out to you.