Mandy went "Night Night", one last time:
February 19,2008

As we watched you growing older
we were sad at what we found.
You were starting to be feeble -
It was hard to get around.
Though your spirit still was willing,
The flesh was becoming weak
And it grieved us to be thinking
That your life had passed its peak.
We had wonderful times together
And you were our faithful friend
Words can't tell how much we miss you
Since your days came to an end.
We know somewhere there's a heaven
For beloved pets like you
Where you've found a special place
And you're just as good as new

We were looking for the "Perfect Dog"! It was May 28, 1998 and we met Mandy, rescued by Second Chance Pet Adoption League. She was at Animal Clinic of Morris Plains, here in NJ. She didn't start out so perfect as the destroyed window treatments, torn lamp shades, soiled carpet and scratched furniture tops would attest to, BUT, she became her Mommy's "Baby" and her Daddy's "Secretary"! Given two weeks to live in 2005 she was known, by her vets, as the "Wonder Dog", as she battled to stay with us for almost three more years.
For us; Mandy had become the "Perfect Dog"

Rest in eternal peace and "run like the wind", Bud!

We found Nellie one cold snowy day just before Christmas in the North

Georgia Mountains at a convenience store in the middle of no-where. She'd been dumped there earlier in the day and I just couldn't leave her. We wrapped her in a blanket and I held her in my lap and she immediately fell asleep in my arms as if she knew we'd take care of her. We thought we'd try to find her a home since we already had two dogs, but that first afternoon I found her cuddled up with one of the other dogs and it became clear that she was staying. That was five years ago. She had some terrible habits, was only ever marginally housebroken,

and loved dead things. But she was a funny happy girl who made our family complete. Two years ago she was diagnosed with cancer and was only given 6 months to live. But we all fought together and had two wonderful years that none of us expected. She stayed her happy self until the last couple of days and in the end she went the way we'd hoped -- in her little bed that she loved with her family with her -- it was her final gift to us, and from us to her. Kathleen

Dear Terry,

I just wanted to thank you for everything, I submitted a picture of my beagle "Dumb Dumb" to your "My beautiful old beagle" page approximately two years ago. I had been meaning to send you an update after his recent 14th birthday this june.

As I cry my heart out typing this, I must now ask if you would please transfer his photos to your virtual cemetery. I can never replace him (My only child and truest of friends).

We were made aware of an enlarged heart during a recent senior exam and were prescribed medications to reduce fluid around his heart. I was just saying to myself last night how well he was responding to the medicine but at approximately 4 A.M. this morning his breathing suddenly became labored.

I rushed him to the nearest emergency Veterinary hospital where it was determined that an unknown tumor in his spleen had ruptured. They performed emergency surgery with a blood transfusion. They then called ahead to our own veterinary hospital where another surgery was done to remove the spleen. All the while my friend braved through it so well that even the doctor seemed so optimistic that he would pull through until a short while later she informed me that he was having trouble breathing.

Shortly thereafter she walked into the room with a glum face and there was no need for words.

I believe the strain of the two operations were just too much for his heart to take.

I will always love dogs the way I have from the time I was child jumping out of my stroller reaching out to hug each and every one that I saw but I also know that it would be unfair to compare another to my priceless, irreplaceable friend.

Thank you so much for providing me with a place to remember and honor my beautiful beagle with the biggest of "enlarged hearts" one could ever imagine.

And bless your heart if were able to read entirely through these rambling of words of a man now lost, and seeming much too much like that child in a stroller again...

Respectfully,

Mark De Litta

In Loving Memory of Buddy Lucky

When I think about my dog Buddy I often think about when I first saw him at the animal shelter. He was cute but would never win any beauty pageant. He had run away from his previous owners and found his way to my family. My brother found him at the bottom of our drive at the young age of eleven and decided we

needed another beagle. After a week living in the shelter Buddy came home to our house were he learned how to be loved. His first owners didn’t take care of him who led to dirty ears, bloodshot eyes and tick problem. With much love Buddy’s ears became cleaner and his heart became bigger. He was no longer afraid to be rubbed on his belly or cuddled under the covers with and got used to the constant picture taking. Buddy was there when times were tough. He would out live my first beagle but would always carry her blanket around the house. When adopting our third beagle he was now at the age 7 and enjoyed being a dad to a lemon beagle Molly. Buddy taught her the ropes such as the kitchen table are his to beg at and he was the one that could always sleep in my bed. Buddy was a beautiful dog and I couldn't’t ask for a better dog. I often remember him lying on the side of the house with the wind blowing back his big floppy ears and I swear he would smile back at me. Buddy was diagnosed in February 07 with a clasped trachea and my family was told he wouldn’t live much longer. Like always Buddy was a fighter even though he had ear problems, fatty tumors from old age he wouldn’t let anything stop him. During the winter of 2007 Buddy started developing growth on his back leg that would fatally end his life. He would struggle everyday with his trachea often coughing and spitting up water but he still enjoyed his life and his family wasn’t ready to say goodbye. After spending all summer eating hamburgers, lying by the pool and digging in the yard with Molly his tumor on his leg at broke open and surgery for Buddy was no option since his trachea wouldn’t survive the surgery. With tearful eyes the vet bandage Buddy’s back leg up so he could go home and spend his last day in his yard with his Molly. I couldn’t have asked for a better dog he came into my family’s life when my mom was sick with cancer and helped heal our family. That August day was the saddest days of my life watching him run around the backyard with his bandage on his leg playing with Molly as if he was going to be fine. However we all knew the time had come he was ready to rest and stop being sick. He will always be apart of my heart and there could never be a Buddy like him. Since Buddy found my family his exact birthday or age aren’t known. We had Buddy 8 ½ years and when we came to our home the vet said he was about 4 yrs old. My old beagle enjoyed 12 ½ years and I’m glad to know I was able to save his life when he was a stray, yet in the end he saved me.

NOCHE
1995-2008

My family got Noche when I was still a baby, I can't even remember where they got him. But he grew up with me and was my best friend throughout my whole childhood. He was there for me when I learned to walk and ride a bike. And he was there for the rough times, like moving to a different state and my parents' divorce. He lived a long, great life. He helped my dad on his Search and Rescue team and he went fishing and camping with my family all the time. I remember, he always used to scare the fish away at the lake, so my dad finally picked him up and walked out to the middle of the lake and dropped him in. He swam back so fast and then was quiet for the rest of the day. (: He was such a fun-loving dog and I will miss him so much. I am still only 13, but I understand that it was his time. I will never forget him as long as I live. I miss you buddy!

It's going on 4 months since our beloved, sweet little girl passed, on August 18, 2008, at the age of almost 15 1/2.

We're still extremely sad, & the 1st Holiday Season without her is proving very difficult. Not one moment passes where she's not in our thoughts; the heartache is truly unbearable. She will be forever etched in our hearts & memories.

Jay

My sincere appologies, but unfortunately we accidentally lost a lot of the content for this page. If the eulogy for your dog or cat is missing from this page, please send a new one to Terry Stern at: NJBeagles@optonline.net so we can add it back. Please indicate which animal is yours by using the appropiate number/s. Hopefully we can have this fixed quickly. Thank you!