It’s a horrible day for a pet “parent” when they lose one of their furry “kids.” Today is the two-year anniversary of Spot, beloved dog of AAP editor, Frank Sinatra, moving on to the Rainbow Bridge. Here’s the story that ran in the August 2013 issue. If you’ve just recently lost a pet, know someone who has, or still has a soft spot for a beloved animal companion from years ago, this is for you.

By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor

It was in October when they found the tumor in Spot’s lung, coming across it by shear dumb luck. The surgery saved his life, but in actuality, we just bought him some extra time. In April, we began to see the writing on the wall. And by June 4, on the day we all said goodbye to our beloved dog, the doctors said it was a miracle he lasted as long as he did, a true testament to his dedication to the family he loved.

Losing a pet is the worst day of any animal owner’s life, even more so if you have little kids. In reality, we never really own our pets; we merely borrow them for all too brief of a time. And while the sorrow from our loss can be devastating, we are so much richer for having the opportunity to share our lives with them.

Now there are more extreme losses that people experience throughout their lives. Case in point: earlier in the summer, some of my friends said goodbye to Barb McKinsey, a pretty remarkable young lady who grew up in Pennsauken and lost her battle with cancer. And I can’t even fathom the sheer torture parents go through when they have to bury a child. But there’s something about not having Spot in our home that left a completely empty space in my family’s hearts.

Maybe it’s because that no matter what kind of day you’re having, Spot was happy to see you. He would wait for you by the door, tail wagging happily. Or, it could be all the goofy things he did; from his amazing ability to steal “people food,” to how Spot “mouthed off” to the dog trainer so effectively that a man who was once responsible for training dogs for the Italian military cursed at him in frustration. You probably had to be there for that last one, but it was hilarious.

But I think that the biggest thing we’ll miss was Spot’s unconditional love and devotion. There was never a day where you didn’t get “hugs and kisses;” or a time he didn’t know when you were upset and did everything in his power to make you feel better. And when it came down to his final days, he struggled to stay with us, because he knew how sad we would be when he was gone.

There is somewhat of a “happy ending” to this story, if you can even call it that. Our house was much too empty without a four-legged family member, and as my daughter put it so simply, “We’re supposed to be a family of five.” So on a very rainy Friday evening in July, we met and rescued Loverboy, an adorable Pointer Mix who melted our hearts right before he stole them. Rescuing an animal is a wonderful thing to do. I highly recommend it, because it’s really not the animal that gets rescued; it’s the family who is saved, by bringing a special kind of love into their home that can make the tough times that much more bearable. And as we drove home, the rain stopped and a rainbow quickly formed, almost as Spot paused for just moment from wrecking havoc on the Rainbow Bridge to give us his approval from above.

Loverboy has brought much needed smiles to our home, but he is not a replacement for Spot. He is, however, the lucky recipient of the love that Spot would want us to share with another four-legged friend. I know, it sounds really silly, but it’s absolutely true.

Still, there will be a time when we see Spot again. When we stop by the Rainbow Bridge to take our happy, crazy, one-of-a-kind dog, along with all of our faithful, furry companions that pass on after him, to our own Eternal Reward. Because a heaven without dogs is not a place I’d like to be.

You were a very good boy Spot. Sit. Stay. We’ll see you soon.

Pennsauken’s Almost Home Animal Shelter has many adorable animals ready for adoption. To find out more, visit them on Facebook.