Leah

It was just a few months ago when the wife and I were doing our routine weekend shopping trip. We stopped at a pet shop for treats for Miko. At the same time, there was a photo shoot foe pets that were up for adoption. That's when we met Leah, a German Shepherd/ Shiba Inu mix. Rebekah was immediately smitten with her, and though I wanted toadopt her as well, I was concerned with being able to afford the adoption fees and still having enough to get through the holidays. I'd never seen my wife so crushed when we left the store. It was apparent that we had to get her somehow.

We set up an adoption trial at the beginning of January. It was quite the adventure, to say the least. Leah and Miko had hit it off the very second they first met. She pretty much charmed every family member of mine she met. It wasn't long at all before she practically became family, and we had settled on making her our "Forever Dog."






That made last Wednesday all the harder to bear.





 Leah was raring to go for our morning walk. As I took her outside, Miko was waiting for her. The two played for a bit when Leah inexplicably took off for the road. I chased her down and tried calling her back. She finally decided to listen and make her way back, but she was struck down by a speeding car right before my eyes.

It had been one of, if not the most scarring moment of my life. My mind was reeling from what had happened. The driver of the car couldn't have not seen her on such a flat, open road, but he neither slowed down, swerved, nor did he even stop to help afterwards. As I made my way to where Leah lay, I cursed myself for not being able to reach her in time, or even get out on the road to slow the car down. Even still, the passing vehicles wouldn't even slow down for me as I tried to cross the road to get to her.

We rushed her to the vet as fast as we could, but poor Leah succumbed to her injuries before we could make it.

She was only with us for eleven days, but in that time, we formed such a deep, familial bond with Leah, and it devastated us to lose her so soon and in such a manner.


Everyone tells me the same thing, that it wasn't my fault, and I really do accept that, but I can never not feel sorry for what happened to her. They keep telling me that I did all I could to help her, and I did, but that's the part that hurts the most. I did do all I could for her, but all my love and dedication amounted to so little in the end. I kept thinking if I were faster, stronger, more collected, that I could have saved her somehow. That idiot driver will always be to blame for this in my eyes, but I can never escape the fact that I failed.

I failed myself, because after losing Sweet Pea, I promised myself I'd do all I could for my next dog, as I never wanted to see another pet die in my arms again.

I failed everyone on facebook who heard of Leah's adoption trial, who had supported her since her rescue a year or so ago and sent her all their love and well wishes.

I failed the wonderful couple who rescued Leah, who treated her with such love as they waited a year for someone to give her a proper home, who not only showed such understanding and comfort when we broke the news to them, but were also willing to let us adopt from their shelter again without so much as a second thought.

I failed Miko, who was never so happy than when she had another dog to play with, and is now so sad as she still vainly looks around our house for her little sister.

I failed my wife, who loved Leah to death so much that she doted on her day and night, staying up with her when she was being weaned from her kennel, walking her three or more times a day and constantly playing with her when she looked bored.

But most importantly I failed Leah, whose eyes shone with such hope and excitement as we picked her up on that frigid January morning to welcome her into our family. She had been through so much before her rescue, and she deserved all the love and attention we could muster, and she sure as hell didn't deserve to have her life cut so short, just because some asshole couldn't be bothered to even slow down for her.

Leah was a wonderful dog, and this mural can't come close to doing her justice, or completely encapsulate the fun times we shared in only eleven days.


Leah, you are our Forever Dog.