My Four-Legged Friend
A little over a month ago, my childhood dog, Chewie, passed away. My family and I rescued Chewie, an apricot-colored, seven-pound miniature poodle, as my tenth birthday present in May of 2015 and over the past nine years, Chewie became a dependable, comforting, and calming presence in my family.
Each morning I was greeted by Chewie, usually with him barking outside my bedroom door signaling he was ready for me to get up. Our day-to-day schedules looked quite similar: wake up, take Chewie outside, sit together on the couch and watch the news while we eat our breakfast, go to work or school, come home, play outside, take Chewie for a walk, sit on the couch and watch The Morning Show, go to bed, and repeat.
This familiarity and consistency were one of my favorite things about having a pet, especially a dog. Chewie was a constant in my life. He was always there, ready to go for a drive to get a pup cup from Starbucks and listen to Taylor Swift at full blast in the car. He was the best listener when I had something to get off my chest and when he would get the zoomies, was sure to make me laugh or smile. I could count on Chewie in the same ways I could count on a friend, family member, or mentor.
Since Chewie’s passing, it feels as though it's been nearly impossible to fill the void of a lost pet. I keep thinking that I am going to hear the pitter-patter of his paws as he runs around the corner of our kitchen island and stands by his leash, longing to go for a walk. I miss seeing his toys left out all over the house begging someone to accidentally step on one and sound off one of the squeakers. Opening the front door to my house and not hearing Chewie’s barks as he spins around in circles in his crate waiting to be let out is a constant reminder of what was lost.
Coming to terms with Chewie’s passing or more generally, the passing of a pet, is difficult. Pets have a way of coming into our homes, our lives, and our hearts and taking up a larger-than-life place. They become family members in ways humans are not. Although pets cannot speak, they still love unconditionally, don’t judge, and provide constant and steady support through the highs and lows of life. Dealing with the loss of such a loyal companion has proved to be just as difficult, if not more so than I imagined.
While the loss of a pet is certainly different from the loss of a human, it can still be impossibly hard and incredibly emotional. For nine wonderful years, Chewie became my family’s “second child”; he went on our family vacations, had his own special spots in our house, and largely decided our daily schedules. Chewie’s loss is one that will be felt far and wide and in every capacity. That is the heartbreakingly beautiful thing about loving an animal, the way they come into our lives and become unexpected members of our family.