Dog Owners Give Thanks For Memorial

Earlier this month we ran a memorial to a Great Dogster, Ares. Here is the letter I just received from Ares’ daddies, Shannon and Jason.

Shannon & Jason Mullett-Bowlsby wrote:

From Shannon —
If you can, please post this to your blog in thanks for everything you wonderful people have done for us. Upon the passing of our little man, we received overwhelming support from the Dogster community. We contribute our being able to cope with this unspeakable horror to the strong and loving energy sent to us from your staff and our Dogster pals. The actual flood of contact from Dogster gave us something “virtually” real to hang on to when we felt like we were being carried away in a terrible nightmare. If anyone ever tries to categorize Dogster as just another cute pet site, send them our way and we will tell them of the immense joys you have allowed us to share and sorrows you have pulled us through. My partner, Jason, has written the following thank you and it would mean everything to us to be able to share this inadequate but heartfelt message. If we could hug you all individually we would. For now, this will have to be enough. If you need me to send the letter in a different format, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Thank You from the bottom of my very soul
– Daddy Shannon

From Jason —
Dear 2 and 4-legged friends
Friendly, sweet-natured, loving, loyal faithful, true, honest, stalwart and honorable. These are just a few words that can describe the wet nosed wonders that we share our lives with. But they can also be used to describe the wonderfully caring subscribers and staff of Dogster.com.

On May 9, 2006 our little boy, Ares, was cruelly torn from our lives. Misdiagnosis coupled with inadequate veterinary care took his life in just a couple short days. Unprepared as we were for such a horrific experience we were less prepared for the overwhelming response for the Dogster community.

The very day we posted the news of Ares’s passing we began to receive notices of sympathy from all around the globe. From New Zealand to New York people were gathering together to lift up two complete strangers with love and support. The only thing we held in common was our love for the animal companions in our life.

Every few hours we were more surprised to see a plethora of:
Rosettes
E-mails
Strolls
Memorials
Thoughts
Prayers
Poems
Gifts to rescues organizations in his name
This last one personally warmed my heart more than I can say.

Then, just a day after our posting we open our Dogster account to see that there is a link to Ares’s page and a memorial listed by the Dogster staff with messages from his Dogster pals. I’m not sure when I cried harder, after his passing or with the coming realization of how this little 5 month old puppy had touched so many lives, and how each of those lives were in return reaching out to lend a little light in a dark moment of our life.

Thank you barely seems to cover it all, but it is all we can bring ourselves to say. Thank you to all the people who e-mailed their sympathy, warm wishes, ideas for coping, and heartfelt correspondence. Truly we could feel your love and support! Thank you twice to the folks at Dogster.com. First, thank you for the beautiful memorial. Ares would have loved being the center of attention for one last day! Second, thank you for creating a safe haven where people like us can do everything from swap prize winning dog biscuit recipes to give emotional support to complete strangers mourning the premature loss of a close companion. Ares changed our lives forever; you gave us a place to express that change!

Because of all the notices to not give up, and blessings to grieve for our little man we have given ourselves permission to try again with a new Shiba Inu pup. We are certain it is the right thing to do and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to turn our lives upside down again. Later this summer there will be a new center of the universe, so prepare yourselves.

THANK YOU ALL AGAIN!!! Although we all survive loss and grief, it is our opinion that we are making it through because of all the Dogster subscribers and staff.

Daddy Shannon
Daddy Jason
Hera the cat

How far that little candle throws his beams!
So shines a good deed in a weary world.
~William Shakespeare

Thank you Shannon and Jason for letting us know how you’re doing. We miss Ares but we all look forward to welcoming a new Dogster to the pack.