Every once in a while someone will come into your life and they will change everything.

Back in February 2014 we came across an ad on Trademe for a dog free to a good home. I had been looking for a dog to adopt for many years as I hadn’t had a dog in my life since my teen years. Had been wanting to get a Labrador but this one was a Staffy cross. Something struck me about this one in particular. I don’t exactly know what it was. So on the phone to the owner to see what the story was, he had separated from his wife and he needed to move closer to be with his children. He had been trying for some time to find a rental property that would take his dog but was rapidly running out of time, in fact was moving that weekend. We arranged to visit to meet the dog on Saturday morning. We turn up to find he had moved the day before and this poor girl had spent the night in the house on her own. We met the owner there as he was cleaning the house.

Something had struck me about Jessie the moment I saw her. She was so calm. I knelt down across the room from her on her bed and she came straight up to me for a pat, she came so close it was almost a hug. That’s it, I’m sold. To seal the deal she had to be good with the kids. My son picks up her tennis ball and promptly throws it to her, well, not to her, at her. It hits her square on the nose, she doesn’t even flinch. Lucas later goes over to her and basically sits right on her. Not a problem. Arrangements were made and we adopted her on the spot.

It took a bit of adjusting having a dog added to our family. Especially for our cat who hates dogs, and this dog who just wanted to eat cats. After a month or so the dog and cat were best of friends, and Jessie had fit into our family as though she had always been there.

Through many dramas including selling our home and moving, losing loved ones and so on Jessie took it all in her stride.

Twenty months later, we discover a lump on Jessie’s tummy. With my heart beating in my throat I take her along to the vet, tests were done and the results in a couple of days later. Sad news unfortunately and she has a very aggressive form of cancer. After a very difficult amount of thinking and talking the decision was made to let her go. Considering the speed this cancer came up and how unusually sad she had been recently (most probably due to being in pain, not that she let on that she was in pain, but she would have been) it was unlikely surgery and chemotherapy would have cured her, would have just put her through more unnecessary pain and discomfort only for the cancer to get her later on.

Today, just 6 days later, the heartbreaking appointment came at the local vet. Many tears were shed.

She was given a sedative to relax her and have her sleep. We are on the floor with her, I have her head on my lap. Holding her, rubbing her, talking to her. Then the final injection was administered. It doesn’t take long and she is now relaxed. No more pain. No more discomfort. It was extremely peaceful.

The twenty short months Jessie was in our lives she brought us so much joy and happiness. She changed us like I thought no dog ever could. She was quiet, caring and happy. She wasn’t just a dog, she was a part of the family, just like one of the kids, only better behaved. Most of the time.

Rest in peace Jess. You will be missed more than you know. April 2006 – October 2015.